Who invented the telescope?

The telescope is the basic instrument of Astronomy
but do you know who actually invented the device? Or maybe you
think you already know who invented it.

Well, what would you say if I told you that you're probably
wrong? After all, it was galileo galilei who invented it, right?
You might be surprised by the answer to that question. Although
Galileo Galilei was a great astronomer, he didn't invent the
telescope.

If not Galileo, then who?

A man named Hans Lipperhey invented the telescope. He was born
in Wesel, Germany and made his home in Middleburg, part of the
Zeeland province in the Netherlands. He was married there in
1594, and became a citizen in 1602. He was a spectacle-maker by
trade.

The Italians developed new glass-making techniques which were
introduced to the Netherlands in the 1590's. These new
techniques helped to bring about new ideas and innovations in
the glass-making community and people started to experiment with
different ways to combine lenses.

Where is the proof?

Many other people claim to have invented the telescope, but Hans
Lipperhey is the only person documented to have applied for a
patent for the device.

Child's play

Legend has it that it wasn't Hans himself, but his children who
actually invented the telescope while they were playing.

And now you know the story of the telescope and how it came to
be. I guess we owe Hans Lipperhey a big thank you for his
invention.

Please include this byline if you'd like to use this article:
Article by Jarrod Roby http://www.astronomy-for-kids-online.com