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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| 'English Galileo' maps on display | 'English Galileo' maps on display |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A 400-year-old set of "moon maps" created by a little-known Englishman are to go on display to mark the launch of the International Year of Astronomy. | A 400-year-old set of "moon maps" created by a little-known Englishman are to go on display to mark the launch of the International Year of Astronomy. |
| Experts say they prove their creator - Thomas Harriot - beat Galileo to become the first man to view the moon through a telescope. | Experts say they prove their creator - Thomas Harriot - beat Galileo to become the first man to view the moon through a telescope. |
| The Italian philosopher has long been credited with achieving the feat, in December 1609. | The Italian philosopher has long been credited with achieving the feat, in December 1609. |
| But papers at West Sussex Record Office show Harriot managed it months earlier. | But papers at West Sussex Record Office show Harriot managed it months earlier. |
| Dr Allan Chapman, a science historian at Oxford University, said Harriot's composite drawing of the moon marked "the birth of modern cartography". | Dr Allan Chapman, a science historian at Oxford University, said Harriot's composite drawing of the moon marked "the birth of modern cartography". |
| "Thomas Harriot was not only the first person ever to draw an astronomical body with a telescope on 26 July 1609, he rapidly developed to become an absolutely superb lunar cartographer," he said. | |
| Sir Patrick Moore on British stargazer Thomas Harriot | |
| "There weren't equivalent lunar drawings to be done for another 30 years. | "There weren't equivalent lunar drawings to be done for another 30 years. |
| "Tragically no-one knew of it until relatively recent times, so Galileo gets all the credit." | "Tragically no-one knew of it until relatively recent times, so Galileo gets all the credit." |
| Harriot was a wealthy gentleman with no desire for fame and fortune, unlike Galileo. | Harriot was a wealthy gentleman with no desire for fame and fortune, unlike Galileo. |
| His achievement has been heralded as a turning point in astronomy. | His achievement has been heralded as a turning point in astronomy. |
| It allowed craters and mountains on the moon's surface to be studied in close-up for the first time and helped dispel many of the myths that existed about the celestial body. | It allowed craters and mountains on the moon's surface to be studied in close-up for the first time and helped dispel many of the myths that existed about the celestial body. |
| British experts hope the exhibition, at the record office in Chichester, will help get Harriot the wider recognition they believe he deserves. | British experts hope the exhibition, at the record office in Chichester, will help get Harriot the wider recognition they believe he deserves. |
| Astronomer Sir Patrick Moore said: "I'm sorry Harriot isn't better known over here... after all we all know Galileo. | Astronomer Sir Patrick Moore said: "I'm sorry Harriot isn't better known over here... after all we all know Galileo. |
| "But Harriot was first... and his map of the moon is better than Galileo's."The early telescopes utterly changed our view of the heavens |