EXHIBITIONS

in

Galileo, the Medici, and the Age of Astronomy

Submitted by admin on Mon, 02/16/2009 - 16:51
The Franklin Institute Science Museum
Begins: 
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Ends: 
Monday, September 7, 2009

Galileo's contributions to the progressive development of the telescope, as well as his revolutionary work to create modern scientific methods, make him one of the greatest luminaries in scientific history.

The Medici Archive Project has been involved with this historic exhibition since its inception, and served as the catalyst for the collaboration between The Franklin and the Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza in Florence, Italy. The exhibit showcases Galileo's accomplishments, his relationship to the ruling Medici family, his discoveries, and his overall impact on astronomy, physics, and math. For the first time in history, once of Galileo's original telescopes will leave its native land. Instruments belonging to Galileo and commissioned by the Medici Grand Dukes of Tuscany, as well as paintings, prints, and manuscripts from the priceless Medici collection will be exhibited.

For more information, visit Galileo, the Medici, and the Age of Astronomy.

Starry Messenger

Submitted by admin on Mon, 03/30/2009 - 14:06

SIDEREAL MESSENGER
unfolding great and very wonderful sights
and displaying to the gaze of everyone,
but especially philosophers and astronomers,
the things that were observed by
GALILEO GALILEI
Florentine patrician
and public mathematician of the University of Padua,
with the help of a spyglass lately devised by him,
about the face of the Moon, countless fixed stars,
the Milky Way, nebulous stars,
but especially about four planets
flying around the star of Jupiter at unequal intervals
and periods with wonderful swiftness;
which, unknown by anyone until this day,
the first author detected recently
and decided to name
MEDICEAN STARS

translation: Albert van Helden

Galileo Galilei's Message to Cosimo II de'Medici

Submitted by admin on Mon, 03/30/2009 - 13:54

MOST SERENE
COSIMO II DE’MEDICI
FOURTH GRAND DUKE OF TUSCANY

A most excellent and kind service has been performed by those who defend from envy the great deeds of excellent men and have taken it upon themselves to preserve from oblivion and ruin names deserving of immortality. Because of this, images sculpted in marble or cast in bronze are passed down for the memory of prosperity; because of this, statues, pedestrian as well as equestrian, are erected; because of this, too, the cost of columns and pyramids, as the poet says, rises to the stars; and because of this, finally, cities are built distinguished by the names of those who grateful posterity thought should be commended to eternity. For such is the condition of the human mind that unless continuously struck by images of things rushing into it from the outside, all memories easily escape from it.