THE MYSTERY OF THE STARRY MESSENGER Galileo Meets

Will Art and Science make peace? You know, art and science don’t always get

The Book Let us proceed! You have a great treasure in your university library.

The Rare Book This historic volume resides in the University of Arizona’s Special Collections.

The Book I am happy to lead you through my work. Let us consider

The Source Texts Would you give us a closer view?

Galileo’s drawings of the moon I was a good draftsman, as you can see

Galileo’s drawings of the moon In honesty, I first thought the craters were high

But can someone tell what story the craters told? Why did they upset people?

Aristotle’s Heavenly Spheres The what? I knew this would get technical.

Galileo’s drawings of the moon My drawings showed the moon was not a perfect

The Ptolemaic System EXCUSE me? Your point?

Galileo’s drawings of the moon I can explain so even a playwright will understand.

Galileo Discovers Jupiter’s moons In January 1610, I also wrote to the Duke that

Galileo’s Tenure Now that showed skill worthy of my most humble self, my lad!

Galileo the Playwright! And in Dialogue on The Two Chief World Systems, my dramatic

Galileo’s Arrest But you should have stopped while winning. Recall “When the battle’s lost

Our Solar System Soon, most educated folk agreed that the Sun is the center

Galileo’s Arrest “Why, 'tis a boisterous and a cruel style; A style for challengers.

Our Solar System You make of life a comedy of persons. I look beyond

Will the Astronomer By the way, my fine fellow, I did dabble a bit

End Part 1: Galileo as Artist and Dramatist

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THE MYSTERY OF THE STARRY MESSENGER! Galileo Meets Shakespeare and Art Meets Science

Will Art and Science make peace? You know, art and science don’t always get along… Galileo Galilei We don’t?

The Book Let us proceed! You have a great treasure in your university library. My Sidereus Nuncius. First edition. Galileo Galilei

The Rare Book This historic volume resides in the University of Arizona’s Special Collections. Our noble friend can share with generations to come.

The Book I am happy to lead you through my work. Let us consider my drawings of La Luna, first. (Letter dated Jan. 7, 1610). Galileo Galilei

The Source Texts Would you give us a closer view?

Certainly.

Galileo’s drawings of the moon I was a good draftsman, as you can see here. And here are further of my sketches. Galileo Galilei

Nice craters, eh?

Galileo’s drawings of the moon In honesty, I first thought the craters were high mountains. But I guessed they were craters later. Galileo Galilei

But can someone tell what story the craters told? Why did they upset people? (I love drama!)

I upset the Heavenly Spheres.

Aristotle’s Heavenly Spheres The what? I knew this would get technical.

Galileo’s drawings of the moon My drawings showed the moon was not a perfect sphere as the Greek Philosopher Aristotle claimed. Galileo Galilei

The Ptolemaic System EXCUSE me? Your point?

Galileo’s drawings of the moon I can explain so even a playwright will understand. Aristotle said all planets were perfect spheres. Craters are NOT allowed. Galileo Galilei

Galileo Discovers Jupiter’s moons In January 1610, I also wrote to the Duke that I discovered the mightiest of planets, Jupiter, had four fine moons of its own! Galileo Galilei

Galileo’s Tenure Now that showed skill worthy of my most humble self, my lad! Offering to name the new moons after Duke Cosimo de Medici— the Cosmian or Medician Moons. You got tenure for this flattery, yes?

Galileo the Playwright! And in Dialogue on The Two Chief World Systems, my dramatic character Salviati defended Copernicus against the character Simplicio’s geocentric system. I cited tides as evidence… Galileo Galilei

Galileo’s Arrest But you should have stopped while winning. Recall “When the battle’s lost and won. ” Wasn’t defending Copernicus a bit too obvious? Your play lacked subtlety. But I suppose—yes--you were a dramatist—of sorts.

Our Solar System Soon, most educated folk agreed that the Sun is the center and not the earth! Galileo Galilei

Galileo’s Arrest “Why, 'tis a boisterous and a cruel style; A style for challengers. ” [As You Like It IV, 3] The Pope was hurt. Quoting him in your Dialogue as “Simplicio? ” Really! That is the unkindest cut of all!

Our Solar System You make of life a comedy of persons. I look beyond all that to the stars. As you say “All’s well that ends well. ” Galileo Galilei

Will the Astronomer By the way, my fine fellow, I did dabble a bit in the stars, myself. My friend Leonard Digges made a number of clever astronomical instruments. That is, his father did. This one is Dioptra.

End Part 1: Galileo as Artist and Dramatist