The Starry Messenger (1610) - Page 24

⚠The text on this page is extremely faded, likely due to aging or the quality of the original print run. Only fragments are visible. The primary content consists of two significant astronomical etchings.

Figure? ...?

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Moon, astronomy, craters, Galileo Galilei, The Starry Messenger original: "Sidereus Nuncius", observations

[Image: A detailed etching of the Moon's surface as seen through a telescope. The "terminator line"—the boundary between the light and dark sides—is jagged, revealing that the lunar surface is not a smooth sphere but is covered in rugged mountains and deep valleys.]

[Image: A second telescopic view of the Moon during a different phase. A large, prominent circular crater is visible near the center, and the uneven, earth-like texture of the landscape is emphasized through careful shading.]

These etchings represent a turning point in human history. Before Galileo published these drawings in 1610, the heavens were believed to be perfect and smooth. By showing the Moon's "rough and uneven" surface, Galileo used visual evidence to prove that celestial bodies were physical worlds similar to Earth.