Did Galileo Galilei invent the telescope?

Galileo Galilei did not invent the telescope. The invention is traditionally credited to the Dutch spectacle maker Hans Lippershey, who applied for a patent for his device in 1608.1

After learning of the invention, Galileo constructed his own version in 1609. While he was not the original inventor, he made significant improvements to the instrument that enabled systematic astronomical observation. His specific design, known as the Galilean telescope, utilized a convergent lens as an objective and a divergent lens as an eyepiece to produce an upright image. Using this improved instrument, Galileo made groundbreaking discoveries, including the phases of Venus, the four largest satellites of Jupiter, and the topography of the Moon.1234