Today you can still find freshness pouring from his enquiring mind in his descriptive writing.ĭuring 2009 I decided to paint Galileo’s phase drawings from Sidereus Nuncius. He thereby transports his readers to share his thoughts as he figures out the lunar surface, phases and features observed over 400 years ago. Galileo’s writing pulls you in to be part of his exploration. Starry Messenger was written to share his drawings and observations of our satellite, far and wide. Galileo was compelled to share the moon because it is such a magnificent sight even in his small telescope. He shared the lunar surface with scientists, princes, students, the pope, and artists. Galileo was a great man for sharing the moon through his telescope. Observe the moon for yourself, spend time with its wonderful phases,then soon you will understand its movements. Read it slowly, imagine it, animate it in your mind. Now there ye have it, direct and clear from the master. The translation is by Stillman Drake from the book Discoveries and Opinions of Galileo. The above paragraph is an extract from Sidereus Nuncius (The Starry Messenger) 1610 by Galileo Galilei. Now the moon, waning, sends us her beams more weakly, and the earth is less strongly lighted at length the moon returns to conjunction with the sun, and black night covers the earth.” Galileo Soon the splendour on the moon extends to a semicircle, and our nights grow brighter at length the entire visible face of the moon is irradiated by the suns resplendent rays, and at full moon the whole surface of the earth shines in a flood of moon light. The sun’s illumination of the moon increasing now as the moon approaches first quarter, a reflection of that light to the earth also increases. Next departing gradually from the sun, the moon comes to be lighted partly upon the side it turns toward us, and its whitish horns, still very thin, illuminate the earth with a faint light. The other hemisphere, which faces the earth, is covered with darkness hence the moon does not illuminate the surface of the earth at all. ‘At conjunction the moon occupies a position between the sun and the earth it is then illuminated by the sun’s rays on the side which is turned away from the earth. The link to the 2020 event is updated below. This write up may give you reasons to take part in International Observe The Moon Night. If you have not shared the moon with others perhaps this is your year to start. This week I am revisiting an article I wrote back in 2017. Also am trying to be creative in that activity. Doing my best to get my head around video making and editing. I have been busy thinking about online content for various events coming up during the months ahead. Therefore many of us will have to make an effort to do something online. This year sharing the moon with the public may be problematic because of COVID 19 and its regulations. Last week I got my annual reminder about International Observe the Moon Night 2020. A 3X3 foot painting depicting a reproduction of 4 of Galileo’s Moon phase drawings from Sidereous Nuncius – Oil on canvas by Deirdre Kelleghan 2009
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