Galileo Galilei died on 8 January 1642 in Arcetri, aged 77. An Italian astronomer, physicist and mathematician, Galileo was a professor at Pisa and Padua. After hearing of the telescope, he built improved versions and in 1609 and 1610 observed the mountains of the Moon, the moons of Jupiter and the phases of Venus, which supported the Copernican view that the planets orbit the Sun. His defence of this view brought him into conflict with the Catholic Church, and in 1633 the Inquisition forced him to renounce it and placed him under house arrest for life. He also laid the foundations of the modern study of motion. He is often called the father of modern science.
Before and after
- 1642The Night Watch
- from 1642 to 1646First English Civil War
- from 1642 to 1651English Civil War
- 1642Invention of Pascal's calculator
- 8 January 1642Death of Galileo Galilei
- 25 December 1642Birth of Isaac Newton
- 1643Barometer
- from 23 February 1643 to 30 August 1645Kieft's War
- 1644Birth of Matsuo Bashō
More in Science & technology
- 1557Discovery of platinum
- 27 December 1571Birth of Johannes Kepler
- 1656Pendulum clock
- 1669Discovery of phosphorus
- 1735Discovery of cobalt
- 1755Discovery of magnesium
The era
This moment belongs to the Early modern world (1500 CE to 1760 CE), voyages, printing and new ideas. You can also browse everything in the 17th century.