Plate between pages 32-33 from ‘Systema Saturnium, sive de causis mirandorum Saturni phaenomenon, et comite ejus planeta novo’ [The System of Saturn, or On the matter of Saturn’s remarkable appearance, and its satellite, the new planet] by Christiaan Huygens, 1659 

Observations of Saturn by others prior to Huygens.
I. is an observation by Galileo in 1610.
II. is one by Scheiner in 1614.
III. is one by Riccioli from 1641-1643.
IV-VII. represent suggestions by Hevelius based on his theories.
VIII and IX. are observations by Riccioli from 1648-1650.
X. is an observation by Divini from 1646-1648.
XI. is one by Fontana in 1636.
XII. is one by Gassendi in 1646.
XIII. is from observations by Fontana and others from 1644-1645.

via: Smithsonian Institution Libraries

geneticist:

Rainbow Moon
Date: 7 Dec 1992
This false-color mosaic was constructed from a series of 53 images taken through three spectral filters by Galileo’s imaging system as the spacecraft flew over the northern regions of the Moon in 1989.

The part of the Moon visible from Earth is on the left side in this view. The color mosaic shows compositional variations in parts of the Moon’s northern hemisphere. Bright pinkish areas are highlands materials, such as those surrounding the oval lava-filled Crisium impact basin toward the bottom of the picture. Blue to orange shades indicate volcanic lava flows. To the left of Crisium, the dark blue Mare Tranquillitatis is richer in titanium than the green and orange maria above it. Thin mineral-rich soils associated with relatively recent impacts are represented by light blue colors; the youngest craters have prominent blue rays extending from them.

via: NASA

Galileo Galilei. Sidereus Nuncius Magna (Venice, 1610).
Leaf 10 verso with illustrations of the Moon, engraved

On November 30, 1609, Galileo Galilei first turned his telescope toward the moon. He noted the irregularities of the crescent face, and made a drawings to record his discoveries. Over the next eighteen days, he made more drawings and from these chose four for his revolutionary ‘Starry Messenger.’ With the publication of this book, an astonished public learned that the moon was a cratered chunk of elements and not a globe of quintessential perfection.

Found: here

Anonymous
Galileo’s “Jovilabe”, 17th century
Brass; 400 x 195 mm
Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza, Florence

via: astronomy2009

Galileo Galilei, Siderevs nvncivs, magna, longeqve admirabilia spectacula pandens, 1610

via: Beinecke Library of Yale

In 1612 during the summer months, Galileo made a series of sunspot observations which were published in Istoria e Dimostrazioni Intorno Alle Macchie Solari e Loro Accidenti Rome (History and Demonstrations Concerning Sunspots and their Properties, published 1613). Because these observations were made at appoximately the same time of day, the motion of the spots across the Sun can easily be seen. To illustrate this, thirty-six of Galileo’s sunspot drawings have been placed in sequence as “flip-book” type animation which can be played at two different speeds. The faster animination better demonstates to movement of the sunspots. The slower animation affords the opportunity for more careful study of Galileo’s drawings. The images are taken, with permission, from Professor Owen Gingerich’s copy of the first edition of Istoria e Dimostrazioni.