Galileo Galilei published Sidereus Nuncius, or the Starry Messenger in 1610. It was a scientific work based on his regular observations of the heavens through a telescope, including the mountains on Earth’s imperfect moon, hundreds of new stars, the four moons of Jupiter, and sunspots. This was published while the Scientific Revolution was in full effect. His discoveries opposed Ptolemy’s and Aristotle’s descriptions of the heavenly bodies as perfect and unchanging orbs of light. Galileo also supported Nicolaus Copernicus’ heliocentric theory of the universe, tempting most European astronomers to accept it. However, the Church was accustomed to the idea of an Earth centered universe surrounded by crystalline, unchanging planets, overseen by
