Cosmic Journey : What are the origin, evolution and fate of the Universe? Two of the most profound questions that all cultures, both past and present, have asked are: where did we come from and what is our destiny? Throughout history philosophers, theologians, and scientists have debated these questions. At the beginning of the 20th century, astronomers were unsure of the size of our galaxy. Generally, they believed that our solar system was near the center of the galaxy. ... Full Text

Galileo's telescope revolutionized astronomy

Galileo Galilei, a Dutch optician had invented a glass that made distant objects appear larger, Galileo crafted his own telescope and turned it toward the sky. Galileo quickly discovered that our Moon had craters, that Jupiter had it's own moons, that the Sun has spots, and that Venus has phases like our Moon. Galileo, who lived from 1564 to 1642, made many more discoveries. Galileo claimed that his observations only made sense if all the planets revolved around the Sun, as championed by Aristarchus and Copernicus, not the Earth. ... Full Text