Jan. 7, 1610, was a red-letter day for astronomy. That evening, as Jupiter rose above the domes of Padua’s majestic San Antonio Basilica, Galileo Galilei took his usual window seat on the top floor of his house. Peering through a small, handcrafted telescope, Galileo discovered three small objects hovering near the planet.
Log in
Subscribers, enter your e-mail address for full access to the Science News archives and digital editions.