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Galileo


Preparing to teach these courses gave Galileo a deeper understanding of astronomical theory. This is also where he was reported to have shown his students the error of Aristotle's belief, that the speed of a falling object is proportional to weight, by dropping two objects of different weight simultaneously from the leaning tower. After the year was over his contract was not renewed because he contradicted Aristotelian professors. .
             In 1610, Galileo was appointed to the chair of mathematics at the University of Padua. At the new university Galileo invented a calculating compass for the practical solution of mathematical problems, turned from the speculative physics to careful measurements, discovered the law of falling bodies and of the parabolic path of projectiles, studied the motion of pendulums, and investigated mechanics and the strength of materials. During this time Galileo became convinced of the truth of the theory proposed by the Polish astronomer Nicholas Copernicus that all planets including earth revolved around the sun. Galileo builds his first telescope and with it he saw clear evidence that Ptolemy's claims about the heavens were false. The first thing he saw was that the moon was mountainous and pitted, much like earth, and in 1610 he discovered four moons circling Jupiter which he published as Starry Messenger. .
             Galileo had tried several times with no luck to work under the Medici family who had ruled for centuries and had dominated banking and commerce in Florence also being influential in church matters. Galileo saw his discovery of the four moons as his best chance and so he sent Starry Messenger, his finest telescope, and a personal plea to the Medici family. Soon he was granted the position of mathematician and philosopher and it also put him in Florence the center for ideas and thinking. In leaving for Florence Galileo left behind his mistress and young son and placed his daughter Virginia and younger sister Olivia in the convent of San Mateo outside of Florence.


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