telescope etymology

Etymology:

  • Greek: "tele" (far) + "skopos" (watcher)

Meaning:

A telescope is an optical instrument used to observe distant objects by magnifying the light collected from them.

Origin:

The earliest known telescopes were developed in the Netherlands around 1608 by Hans Lippershey and Zacharias Janssen. The father of modern astronomy, Galileo Galilei, learned of this invention in 1609 and soon after built his own telescope.

The name "telescope" was first used in 1611 by the Italian mathematician and astronomer Giovanni Demisiani. He described it as a "perspicillum" (clear glass) that could be used to observe distant objects.

The term "telescope" quickly became the accepted name for these instruments, and it has been used ever since.

telescope relate terms

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