Galileo's 'Ears' - The Story Behind the Discovery of Saturn's Rings

While Galileo misinterpreted his sighting, it opened the door to understanding Saturn's resplendent halo of cosmic debris. Four centuries later, backyard astronomers can revisit this historic discovery and enjoy the same transcendent views.

The Dawn of Modern Astronomy

Galileo's early telescope observations ignited the shift to modern astronomy. Though crude by today's standards, his device revealed tantalizing glimpses of the heavens.

On July 25, 1610, Galileo trained his telescope on Saturn. In his logbook, he sketched the planet with odd protrusions resembling "ears." Unable to reconcile this strange shape, he set the mystery aside.

When Galileo returned to observe Saturn in 1612, the ears had vanished.