A GALILEAN TELESCOPE

Following renewed interest in early telescopes, their origin and abili ties, the author has constructed and used a facsimile of one of Galile o's instruments. An evaluation has been made concerning the physical p roblems of using such a telescope and the quality of observations avai lable to it. Objects which Galileo recorded have been observed with th is instrument and insights gained which are not possible using compara ble modern telescopes.