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Galileo Galilei was a renowned Italian astronomer, physicist, and mathematician born in Pisa in 1564. Known as the "father of modern observational astronomy," he improved the telescope, revealing the four largest moons of Jupiter, challenging the geocentric model of the universe. Galileo faced backlash from the Catholic Church for defending heliocentrism and was eventually forced to recant his views. His contributions to science laid the foundation for modern physics and the scientific method. Galileo died in 1642, leaving behind a legacy of revolutionary discoveries.