Two Small Pieces of Glass

The Amazing Telescope
International Year of Astronomy 2009In 1608, a German-Dutch spectacle maker named Hans Lippershey aligned a pair of lenses—one in front of the other—and noticed objects viewed through the device looked larger than when viewed with the unaided eye. Recognizing the practical applications of this “Dutch perspective glass”, Lippershey applied for a patent. The Dutch government turned down the application, but nonetheless rewarded him financially for copies of the design. The following year, a professor at the University of Padua, Italy learned of the new device and constructed his own versions. After some experimentation, he built an instrument that magnified ten times. One night, the professor directed his device to the Moon. Commonly believed to have a perfectly smooth surface, the Moon seen through the instrument turned out instead to feature mountains, valleys and craters. The professor’s name was Galileo Galilei. The instrument was, of course, the telescope. Galileo’s telescopic observations began a revolution, transforming our views of the cosmos and our place within. It is a revolution which, four hundred years later, continues. Today you can attend star parties where amateur astronomers set up their telescopes for public viewing. Views through such telescopes would have amazed Galileo. Our new fulldome show, Two Small Pieces of Glass, puts you in the middle of a modern star party. Discover the wonders that even a small amateur telescope can reveal and learn about the scientists that made such views possible. Two Small Pieces of Glass opens during our Summer Celebration on May 31. Showtimes are 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. daily. This show will run through November 20. After you view Two Small Pieces, don’t forget to check out the Sachtleben Observatory on a public night. What a great way to celebrate the International Year of Astronomy!
Date:
May 31 - November 20, 2009
Time:
Sunday:2:00 p.m and 3:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday :2:00 p.m.
Saturday:1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Monday: Closed
Location:
Hastings Museum of Natural and Cultural History
1330 N Burlington Avenue