Friday, May 29th, 2009

The Invention of the Telescope

This year is the 400th anniversary of the invention of the telescope. To celebrate its birthday, we hit the streets of New York City to find out what people know about the telescope and its history. Can you explain how a telescope works? (Credits: Music from Prelinger Archives. Production assistance by Erik Ortlip. Shot/produced by Flora Lichtman.) See More Videos

This year marks the 400th anniversary of the first use of an astronomical telescope by Galileo Galilei. Though famous for his telescopic observations of Jupiter's moons, Galileo wasn't the inventor of the telescope. In this segment, we'll talk about the early days of scientific optics, including the work of eyeglass maker Hans Lippershey, who applied for a patent on a spyglass in October 1608.