Studies on Galileo's Manuscripts of Astronomical Observations

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26350362
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Sociology/History of science and technology
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: ITO Kazuyuki 京都大学, 文学研究科, 教授 (60273421)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 科学革命 / ガリレオ・ガリレイ / 天体観測 / 望遠鏡 / 手稿 / 宇宙論の革命 / 『星界の報告』 / 太陽黒点

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study examines the astronomical observations made by Galileo Galilei in his manuscripts (letters, observation notes, and drafts of books) and compares them with his books (Sidereus nuncius and Istoria e dimostrazioni intorno alle macchie solari). The study clarifies his critique of traditional cosmology and the development of his new cosmology based on the observation results he made using the telescope. His astronomical observations are not merely simple observations, but are highly dependent on theory. The observation results of the celestial world can be understood by their analogy to the terrestrial world, revealing his denial of the invariability and perfectness of the celestial world, which is the core principle of traditional cosmology. We find this attitude of research constantly in his observations of the moon, satellites of Jupiter, and the sunspots, by which Galileo extended the terrestrial world to the celestial world.

Free Research Field

西欧近代科学史