by Anthony Parente

I was born in the city of Pisa on February 15, 1564. My father Vincenzo was a musician who made significant contributions in the world of music. I am an astronomer, mathematician, and physicist. I entered the University of Pisa to study medicine and philosophy of Aristotle, but I never attained a degree because I left to pursue an interest in mathematics.

I later returned to the University of Pisa as professor of mathematics before moving on to teach mathematics at the University of Padua. I discovered the law of the pendulum and the law of falling bodies. In addition to my discoveries I invented the hydrostatic balance, a thermometer and a sector. Some people even call me the founder of modern experimental science.

With the use of powerful telescopes that I created on my own I started to concentrate on the heavens. In my studies I noticed that the moon and the planet Venus go through various phases and I also discovered four moons around Jupiter. With my findings I firmly believed that the Sun is the center of the universe.

Followers of the church and Aristotle were opposed of my findings. After I published my book titled Dialogo sopra i due massimi sistemi del mondo in 1632 I was called to Rome and was put on trial by the Inquisition for continuing to defend the Copernican Theory. In 1633 I was sentenced to life in prison, but was put under house arrest in my villa in Florence. By the time I published my book titled Dialogues Concerning Two New Sciences in 1638 I became blind. I died on January 8, 1642. Do you know who I am?

For those of you who haven't figured out my identity I wish to introduce myself.

My name is Galileo Galilei and below you can find more information about my life and my accomplishments.

Related Sites	Related Books From Amazon.com
Discovery of the Galilean Satellites Galileo Galilei Galileo Project Galileo Timeline Profiles in Courage: Galileo Trial of Galileo Galilei	Dialogues Concerning Two New Sciences Discoveries & Opinions of Galileo Galileo Galilei: First Physicist Galileo on the World Systems Galileo, Science, and the Church Galileo's Finger