On January 7, 1610, Galileo was the first person to train a telescope on Jupiter—and what he saw surprised him. Strung in a line beside the planet were three tiny stars, one to the left of the planet and two to the right. But when he observed the formation the next night, he saw that now all three were on the same side of Jupiter. Over the following week, he watched as the tiny stars (now joined by a fourth) changed their position relative to the planet while remaining beside it. By January 15, he had it figured out: he was observing four moons orbiting Jupiter.
Jupiter and the Galilean moons
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
-
Tokyo welcomes a futuristic new art museum
-
Vieste, Apulia, Italy
-
There once was a lighthouse from...
-
Chocolate Hills
-
Wild turkeys in repose
-
A learning garden
-
Of moles and liquid nitrogen
-
Bobbio, Italy
-
Here s looking Atchafalaya
-
Leap day
-
Remembering the Arizona
-
Snow on the temple
-
Hiding in plain sight
-
Behold the blood moon
-
To Roswell, and beyond!
-
Hello, spring!
-
International Womens Day
-
Lake Bled, Slovenia
-
Memorial Day
-
Happy Thanksgiving!
-
World Laughter Day
-
Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
-
White Desert National Park, Egypt
-
Ruins of St. Dwynwens Church, Ynys Llanddwyn, Wales
-
April Fools Day
-
Astronomy Day
-
Pont Alexandre III, Paris, France
-
Sky island views
-
Midwinter freeze
-
It s Slovenia s Independence and Unity Day