Based only on uncertain descriptions of the first practical telescope, invented by
Hans Lippershey in the
Netherlands in 1608,
Galileo, in the following year, made a telescope with about 3x magnification. He later made others with up to about 30x magnification. With this improved device he could see magnified, upright images on the earth – it was what is now known as a terrestrial telescope, or spyglass. He could also use it to observe the sky; for a time he was one of those who could construct telescopes good enough for that purpose.
On 25 August 1609, he demonstrated his first telescope to Venetian lawmakers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo...#Contributions
