Galileo's Telescope

Chapter two

• Before he wrote Istoria del Concilio Tridentino (History of the Council of Trent) refuting Catholic "priestcraft" and standing up to the inquisition, who was Sarpi and what "intriguing" studies was he known for?
• What information reached the home of the Tuscan ambassador from Bartoli on August 22?
• What about Galileo's career changed radically during the week of September 22-29?
• What story told by Galileo read "like a Chaplin comedy"?
• Despite having different material and price points, what "flaw" did all the early Venetian spyglasses have in common?
• How do we know Sarpi was instrumental in building the first spyglasses?
• The author claims Sarpi distanced himself from Galileo's Sidereus, despite having collaborated on it? Why?
• What religious tensions in Venice was Galileo trying to escape, according to the author?
• What criticism was "already being leveled against the celestial discoveries" of Sarpi and Galileo?
• The author calls the history of the spyglass an "archipelago." What does he mean?

Chapter three

• Galileo took only a day to make his first spyglass. What was the "real difficulty" for him?
• What type of lenses did Galileo use to make his first two spyglasses?
• Why did Galeleo need to learn to make his own lenses?
• What can we learn from a letter from Galileo's mother in October 1609?
• What can we learn from an envelope Galileo "transformed into a shopping list"?
• Who was Bernardo Buontalenti and what did he teach Galileo?
• Who wrote Vitellionem paralipomena (Supplement to Witelo), and what did it argue that "struck a mortal blow" to medieval optics?
• What was D'optrice, and what did it do?
• According to Bonifacio Vannozzi, Galileo's spyglass had no useful naval application. Why not?
• What skills allowed Galeleo to transform what he saw on the moon into an image?
• What significant tiny image was dsicovered on an envelope Galileo received from Sagredo on Octobr 28, 1609?
• What had Galileo concluded by January 15, 1610? Why did he begin recording his journal in Latin at that time?
• To what family did Galileo dedicate the moons of Jupiter?