Galileo takes the idea of the telescope and presents it as his own invention to the Venetian Navy. The Senators of Venice all approve, and Galileo gets his honorarium after all due to the telescope.
Later, using an improved telescope, Galileo makes discoveries about the moon and the rotation of the stars. Most importantly, he notices that the moons of Jupiter orbit that planet. This shatters the geocentric model of the universe; heavenly bodies are not supposed to orbit but instead stay fixed in a series of glass spheres.
In Florence, Galileo and his theories meet resistance. No members of the court will dare look through his telescope. The court decides to seek the opinion of Rome's preeminent astronomer, Christopher Clavius, as to Galileo's heliocentric evidence. In Rome, as church members ridicule Galileo, Clavius emerges and states that Galileo's evidence is sound.
Galileo is thereafter officially warned against pursuing astronomy by two Cardinals, Bellarmin and Barberini. Galileo decides to abandon astronomy, and eight years pass. He is then notified that the current Pope is ready to die, and Cardinal Barberini, less conservative and a former mathematician, will succeed as Pope. For Galileo, this means a chance to resume his research with less threat from the Church.
Galileo is found out, and the new Pope reluctantly agrees to have an inquisition for Galileo. As his servants wait for him and hope he will defy the Church in the name of science, Galileo emerges a broken man who cowardly agreed to recant his heliocentric research. All are disappointed.
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