In 1609 Galileo first used his telescope to kick start the science of observational astronomy - an event that proved to be of enormous historic, scientific, and cultural importance. Galileo and 400 Years of Telescopic Astronomy will feature the life and achievements of Galileo, around which has pivoted the story of four centuries of telescopic astronomy. The book will detail how astronomy has progressed through four centuries and contain glimpses of future space research and astronomy goals. Uniquely, interwoven with the text will be a range of practical projects for backyard astronomers in which to participate, projects that serve to illustrate many of Galileo's scientific discoveries.

In 1609 Galileo first used his telescope to kick-start the science of observational astronomy. This book covers his life and achievements and shows how astronomy has developed since. It includes practical projects in which amateur astronomers can participate.

Eyes on the Skies.- Galileo Magnifico.- Newton's Universe.- Surveying the Solar System.- A Bigger Picture Unfolds.- Beyond Vision.Imagine yourself living 400 years ago, right before the telescope was first used by Galileo to look up into the skies and find unforeseen wonders. You probably believed, with most of the known world, that Earth was at the center of the magnificent parade of planets and stars above you, and the Sun's purpose in journeying across the sky was to give Earth daylight and warmth. Suddenly, though, your world is turned upside down. The Church, all powerful in its doctrines and teachings of the times, continues to support theories that don't fit the facts presented by scientists. Scientists in their quest for truth must hide their findings or risk the harsh penalties imposed by the Church. We have gone from a comforting Earth-centered universe to a tiny floating spec in a gigantic cosmos, barely a comma in a lengthy treatise. And we have gone there in a blink of an eye. We may have lost our central position in the universe, but Grego and Mannion show us how much we have gained in understanding the universe around us. And we are only at the beginning of our journey. Their words help us to discover our place again and how we got there and what we might expect to learn in the centuries to come.Peter Grego is an astronomy writer and editor. A regular watcher of the night skies since 1976, he observes from his home in St Dennis, Cornwall, UK, with a variety of instruments. Grego's primary observing interests are the Moon's topography and the bright planets, but he likes to 'go deep' when there's no glare of the Moon to contend with. Grego has directed the Lunar Section of Britain's Society for Popular Astronomy (SPA) since 1984 and is the Assistant Director of the Lunar Section of the British Astronomical Association (BAA). He edits and produces four astronomy publications - Luna (journal of the SPA Lunar Section), The New Moon (journal of the BAA Lunar Section), the SPA News Circulars, and Popular Astronomy magazine. He is also layout editor for the Newsletter of the Society for the History of Astronomy. Grego is the author of numerous astronomy books, including: Collision: Earth! (Cassell, 1998), Moon Observer's Guide (Philip's/Firefly, 2004), The Moon and How to Observe It (Springer, 2005), Need to Know? Stargazing (Collins, 2005), Need to Know? Universe (Collins, 2006), Solar System Observer's Guide (Philip's/Firefly, 2005), Venus and Mercury and How to Observe Them (Springer, 2008); Astronomical Cybersketching (Springer, 2009); The Great Big Book of Space (QED, 2010), and others. He has given many talks to astronomical societies around the UK and has been featured on a number of radio and television broadcasts. Grego maintains his own website at www.lunarobservers.com (which occasionally features live webcasts of the Moon and planets and other astronomical phenomena) and is webmaster for the BAA Lunar Section at www.baalunarsection.org.uk . He is a member of ALPO, SPA, SHA, and BAA and is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. David Mannion has three degrees in astronomy and has worked as a teacher for 23 years in schools and colleges in the UK, Austria, and Turkey, and has also tutored for the Open University in Physics and Astronomy. He is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, having been elected in 1984 and was a member of its Education Committee 2005 - 2010. Dr. Mannion has given lectures on astronomy since 1980, run numerous School Astronomy Clubs, and was vice president and a founder member of the Association for Astronomy Education. His other burning interest is weightlifting and he has participated in the last 6 years of the British Masters Weightlifting Competition. He won in his age group and weight category in 2007 and 2010! He wants to continue watching the stars and lifting weights for as long as he possibly can!