1609 AD (the first refractor)

In 1609, using a homemade telescope of about 20 power, Galileo discovered four moons orbiting the planet Jupiter. He went on to resolve the Milky Way Galaxy into countless stars, observe dark spots on the Sun, and make a map of  the face of the Moon.

Galileo is given credit for the invention of the telescope but it should be noted that years earlier, Leonardo DaVinci described how one of these telescopes could be built.


 

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