[dropcap]In[/dropcap] 1610 Galileo Galilei published Sidereus Nuncius, or Starry Messenger. The book provided an account of his telescopic work, including his observations of the moon and his discovery of mountains on Jupiter. Presented by the University of Oklahoma, An Artful Observation of the Cosmos explores the close relationship between art and science for much of the modern era. The exhibit combines art from the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art’s permanent collection with books from OU’s History of Science Collections. Also on display is a replica of Galileo’s famed telescope from the Museo Galileo in Florence, Italy. The exhibit contains three sections, allowing visitors to view the world’s cultural fascination with Galileo’s theories. Renaissance dissertations on optics and linear perspectives take over the first section. The second section begins with significant responses to the Starry Messenger and culminates with the 1960s and 1970s Apollo missions. The exhibit concludes by exploring Galileo’s Theory of the Cosmos. An Artful Observation of the Cosmos is part of University of Oklahoma’s Galileo’s World series, and is on display at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art until April 3. For more information, visit www.ou.edu/fjjma.
