On October 6, the Detroit Observatory will host a discussion of the discovery that the University's prized manuscript attributed to Galileo, which discusses his discovery of moons of Jupiter, is in fact a 20th-century forgery.  As a follow-up, join us on October 20 to learn more about the historical context of Galileo's astronomical accomplishments through a showing of the acclaimed documentary, The Moving Earth, by Danish film-maker Lars Becker-Larsen.  The Moving Earth (2009, 52 minutes, in English) recounts the history of early modern astronomy, focusing on five key figures: Tycho Brahe, Giordano Bruno, Johannes Kepler, Galileo Galilei, and Isaac Newton.  Weaving together historical vignettes and scientific explanations, the movie locates key scientific advances within the biographies of its subjects and the religious, social and political developments of the time.

Following the film, we will offer relevant exhibits and tours of the historic Detroit Observatory with astronomical observing if weather permits.  In particular, Jupiter and its Galilean moons will be in view!