Galileo Galilei

By Ben Smith Living in the world today in my mind is a great pleasure. Since the beginning of human existence, our race has been making more and more advancements in knowledge. We have grown to understand things and learned to respect them. Some of these advancements that we have yet to forget are tied to incredible men such as: Pythagoras, Galileo, Isaac Newton, and Albert Einstein. All of these men have made unforgettable contributions to the books of science, music, math, astronomy, and many other things we study today. In my personal opinion, there is one of these men who made the biggest contribution. This is Galileo Galilei. Let me tell you why. Born on 15 February, 1564, Galileo was destined for greatness. He studied at the University of Pisa and was fascinated on the subjects of Mathematics, Physics, and Astronomy. Though he was considered to be the Father of many things in the world of science, my personal favorite is Astronomy. Galileo loved to observe the night sky. He observed the Milky Way and helped others see how it was not simply a cloud, but a huge cluster of stars beaming together in the dark night sky. This is one of my favorite things to study about Galileo. Though I am not a huge fan of Astronomy, one of my favorite things to do is go to a high mountain top and see the clear beautiful night sky lit by the moon and stars. Though many just talk of their beauty, or their magnificence, I enjoy dwelling on other thoughts. Where did they come from? How many are there? How long do they live? How big are they? Did they just appear one day, or is there a reason they are shining bright in the night sky? These are all questions that have gone through my head at one point or the other throughout my short life so far. The most repetitive of them is by far: Where did they come from? It is almost painful to try and come up with how stars originated. They have been said to always have been there according to the records that we have of many ancient civilizations. So when did they first appear? Were they here before the earth? Galileo had many of his own ideas that he actually ended up giving him the title of Father of Astronomy. This is why I believe his accomplishments are the most important. They show me the beauty, awe, and unknown in the world. They make me ask questions and ponder more deeply on what I actually want to know.