Galileo Galilei

Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) was an Italian astronomer, physicist, and engineer known as the father of observational astronomy, modern physics, and the scientific method. He made groundbreaking telescopic discoveries, including the moons of Jupiter and phases of Venus, supporting the Copernican heliocentric model, which led to his trial by the Inquisition in 1633 for heresy, after which he lived under house arrest while continuing his work on motion and strength of materials.