Hans Lippershey: 400 Yrs of Telescope History

[Arch2008]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Lippershey

I read an article in Astronomy magazine that described how Lippershey tried to get a patent for the first telescope (Greek tele = 'far' and skopein = 'to look or see') in September-October 1608. Lippershey’s telescope could magnify a whopping three-fold. His request was turned down after it was found that lots of crude telescopes were being sold at carnivals. His was however the first actual recorded design and his patent ignited scientific curiosity in the device worldwide. Of course, Gallileo claimed to have discovered the telescope to get funds to improve them and was the first to point it at the sky. The design indirectly led to the microscope. Many scientific fields would involve a lot of guesswork without these. So happy 400th anniversary!

 

[Adrmay]

Lippershey was born in Wesel, Germany, and is believed to have been a lens grinder by trade. He was the first to apply for a patent on a telescope, but it was not granted as it was found that others had already made telescopes of similar design. His telescope consisted of a convex and a concave lens, and was able to magnify objects three times their original size. Lippershey's design was improved upon by Galileo Galilei and Johannes Kepler, who used it to make discoveries about the universe. Lippershey also helped to develop the microscope, which used a similar design to the telescope. Because of his contributions to the development of both the telescope and the microscope, Lippershey is often credited as one of the most important figures in the history of optics. His designs helped to open up a new era of scientific exploration, allowing scientists to observe the world around them in ways that had never been possible before.