The Race for the Moon
Galileo’s book set off the 17th century race for the Moon. Not a race to go there, but a race to map its surface, which was accomplished at mid-century in the Selenographia, a lunar atlas by Hevelius. One misinterprets Galileo to accuse him of exaggerating the size of the small Aristarchus crater (bottom center) accurately depicted by Hevelius. (Figure 1) (Figure 2) (Figure 3) (Figure 4)
Figure 1 -
Return to TextHevelius, 1647. Frontispiece. Note the Arabic garb of Galileo, who is set opposite Ibn Al-Haytham (Alhazen), the author of an important work in optics.
Zoom - 5 in | 10 in
Download TIFF (large file)
Figure 3 -
Return to TextHevelius, 1647. Quarter Moon.
Zoom - 5 in | 10 in
Download TIFF (large file)
Exhibit credit: Kerry Magruder, with the assistance of , Marilyn B. Ogilvie, Duane H. D. Roller.
- Exhibit Links
- Web Links
- Downloads
- Endorsements
