Galileo Galilei was born in Pisa in 1564. Galileo's father, Vencenzo, was a respected musician and an outspoken and an uncompromising man who defended his ideas regardless of whom he challenged or offended. Galileo's mother, Giulia, was well educated, which was unusual for a women in her time. In 1574 Galileo's family moved to Florence when he was 10, after a while Galileo received his first formal education.

In 1581 Galileo became a student at the University of Pisa. In 1585 Galileo left the University of Pisa without a degree and returned to Florence.

In 1589 Galileo returned to became a professor of mathematics at Pisa, he left as soon as his contract was finished.

In 1609 Galileo constructed the telescope and made discoveries that shocked and amazed the world and that won him international fame. A year later, Galileo returned to Florence as the grand duke's chief mathematician and philosopher.

In 1611 Galileo returned to Rome to win the Pope's support for his work because many thought his work was going against God and the belief that Earth was the center of the universe and he feared his life was in danger.

In 1616 on a third visit to Rome Galileo tried to defend himself against his enemies accusations.

In 1618 Galileo's strongest attack against Aristotle was published and so well received that Galileo believed he could write a book in support of Copernicus who had also believed that the sun was the center of the solar system rather than the Earth.

In 1636 Galileo's most famous work, which supported the works of Copernicus and ridiculed followers of Aristotle was published and brought about Galileo's downfall. Galileo was tried by the Inquisition, his works were banished, and he was sentenced to house arrest for the remainder of his life. In 1683 Galileo's work which discusses the theories of motion and energy was published. In 1642 Galileo died will still under house arrest.

For more information visit the following sites:

http://www.imss.fi.it/museo/4/index.html

http://es.rice.edu/ES/humsoc/Galileo/Catalog/Files/galilei_gal.html

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/hawking/cosmostar/html/cstars_galileo.html