Ar An Lá Seo, 15 Feabhra: Galileo Galilei
15 Feabhra, 1564
Ar an lá seo, 15 Feabhra, 1564, rugadh Galileo Galilei in Pisa, san Iodáil. Nuair a bhí sé óg, theastaigh ó Ghailileo a bheith ina dhochtúir, ach bhí an-spéis aige sa mhata agus san fhisic, agus go háirithe sa réalteolaíocht. Thar na blianta, chuir Galileo feabhas ar an teileascóp, agus d’úsáid sé é chun féachaint ar na pláinéid agus na réalta. Chonaic sé go raibh ceithre ghealach ag Iúptar agus thug sé céimeanna Véineas faoi deara. D’aimsigh sé go raibh an ghealach lán le cráitéir agus go raibh spotaí ar an nGrian.
San am sin, chreid daoine gur thaistil an Ghrian timpeall an Domhain, ach thug Galileo faoi deara go dtaistealaíonn an Domhan, agus na pláinéid eile inár ngrianchóras, timpeall ar an nGrian. Tharraing Galileo naimhdeas ón Eaglais Chaitliceach, mar shíl siad gurb é an domhan lárphointe na chruinne. Ní raibh siad sásta nár aontaigh Galileo le teagasc na heaglaise. Cuireadh bac air a chuid smaointe a scaipeadh, agus d’ordaigh an Pápa go mbeadh Galileo ina phríosúnach ina theach féin.
Ní gá a rá go raibh tionchar iontach-mhór ag Gailileo ar an domhan uilig. Glaoítear ‘Athair na hEolaíochta’ air toisc gurbh é a fuair amach an oiread sin eolais maidir leis an Domhan agus leis an spás. Fuair sé bás ar an 8 Eanáir, 1642, san Iodáil. Seans nach raibh a fhios agat, ach ba cheoltóir den scoth é Galileo chomh maith, agus tá sé an-oiriúnach go bhfuil amhrán galánta scríofa ag an gceoltóir Éireannach, Declan O’Rourke, ina onóir!
February 15th, 1564
On this day, February 15th, 1564, Galileo Galilei was born in Pisa, Italy. When he was young, Galileo wanted to be a doctor, but he was very interested in maths and physics, and especially in astronomy. Over the years, Galileo improved the telescope, and used it to look at the planets and stars. He saw that Jupiter had four moons and noted the phases of Venus. He discovered that the moon was full of craters and that the sun had spots.
At that time, people believed that the Sun travelled around the Earth, but Galileo noticed that the Earth, and the other planets in our solar system, travel around the Sun. Galileo attracted hostility from the Catholic Church, because they thought the earth was the centre of the universe. They were not happy that Galileo did not agree with the teachings of the church. He was prevented from spreading his ideas, and the Pope ordered Galileo to be a prisoner in his own house.
It goes without saying that Galileo had a tremendous influence on the whole world. He is called the ‘Father of Science’ because he discovered so much about Earth and space. He died on January 8th, 1642, in Italy. Maybe you didn’t know, but Galileo was also an excellent musician, and it’s only fitting that Irish musician, Declan O’Rourke, wrote a lovely song in his honour!
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