Astrophoto: NGC 7048 Image by: Stefan Heutz
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The ability for convex and concave transparent objects to enlarge or reduce had been known since Antiquity and by the end of the thirteenth century; quality glass was relatively inexpensive, particularly in Italy. At the same time, techniques for grinding and polishing had reached a high state of relative precision in Venice. So, handheld magnifying glasses became relatively common. During the fourteenth century, the craftsmen of Venice began producing small double-sided convex glass disks that could be mounted and worn in a frame- the first reading glasses. By the middle of the fifteenth century the Italians were also producing spectacles that corrected for nearsightedness. Therefore, around 1450 the ingredients to produce the first telescope were in place but it would be another 150 years before children would trigger its invention and change everything.

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Astro image: The Iris Nebula Photo by Tom Davis
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Our home galaxy, the Milky Way, is estimated to have 400 billion stars, give or take 200 billion, but less than 6,000 (also an estimate) are visible from dark locations without telescopic aide- and only part of this number can be seen during any single night. Some are dim but close, others are bright but remote and many are partially hidden behind veils of dust so their splendor only hints at their distance. Therefore, the placement of the stars and their brilliance in the sky creates a completely random distribution of bright pinpoints overhead that people have, nonetheless, grouped into familiar patterns called constellations. This affinity for recognizing or imagining designs also extends to the objects in space that can only be seen through telescopes or in photos with long exposures such as this article’s featured picture that, many believe, resembles a flower.

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