Galileo

Galileo Galilei (1564 – 1642) was an Italian astronomer, physicist and mathematician who some refer to as the father of modern observational astronomy. Galileo is probably best known for proposing the earth revolved around the sun (heliocentrism) instead of the sun revolving around the earth (geocentrism). At the time, heliocentrism was quite controversial and Galileo’s proposition was opposed by the scientists in his day as well as the Roman Catholic Church. The Church believed heliocentricism contradicted Scripture and tried Galileo by Inquisition in 1633. After being found “suspect of heresy,” Galileo was forced to spend the rest of his life under house arrest.