Galileo's Final Glimpse: Jupiter's Moons and Lost Light
Published: December 28, 2025
Duration: 1:32
# This is your Astronomy Tonight podcast.
Good evening, stargazers! Today is December 28th, and we're celebrating one of the most dramatic and awe-inspiring moments in modern astronomical history!
On this date in 1612, Galileo Galilei made his final observation of Jupiter and its magnificent four Galilean moons—though he didn't realize it would be his last. The Italian polymath had been systematically studying these distant worlds through his primitive telescope, forever changing our understanding of the cosmos. But here's where it gets dramatic: Galileo's eyesight was already deteriorating, and by the following year, he would be completely bl...
Good evening, stargazers! Today is December 28th, and we're celebrating one of the most dramatic and awe-inspiring moments in modern astronomical history!
On this date in 1612, Galileo Galilei made his final observation of Jupiter and its magnificent four Galilean moons—though he didn't realize it would be his last. The Italian polymath had been systematically studying these distant worlds through his primitive telescope, forever changing our understanding of the cosmos. But here's where it gets dramatic: Galileo's eyesight was already deteriorating, and by the following year, he would be completely bl...