Science Art: Galileo’s Moon Phases, 1616.

Scientific illustration by Galileo Galilei of the moon's phases, showing its craters and mountains.
Scientific illustration by Galileo Galilei of the moon's phases, showing its craters and mountains.

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Galileo drew pictures of the moon – pictures that included imperfections on the surface. The moon, he observed, had texture. Hills and valleys. Craters. Dimensionality.

This was controversial at the time; if heavenly bodies couldn’t lead us to greater perfection, what could?