Many consider Galileo Galilei as the father of the refracting telescope. And while Galileo is actually did not invent the refractor; it was actually the invention of Hans Lippershey.
Yet, many tend to credit Galileo Galilei as the inventor of the refracting telescope because he made great improvement on the telescope of Lippershey, and made a much better, and professionally working astronomical telescope. Galileo’s version of his refractor is popularly known as the Galileo telescope.
While some are yet to be convinced on who between Galileo Galilei and Hans Lippershey should be credited as the creator of the refractor, there is another scientist by the name of Jacob Metius who claimed to be the true inventor of the refractor telescope.
Metius was a Dutch optician and lens maker who was said to have invented a lens bearing instrument that can magnify the image of a distant object. He was said to have presented his invention to the government with the intention of applying for a patent.
Still, it showed that his patent application was done weeks after the application of Hans Lippershey’s patent for his telescope.
The government acknowledged Metius’ work although in the end it was Lippershey’s telescope that was utilized by the government in its astronomical endeavors.
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