Marion Harrington, age 10, of Portland, Me., for her question:

WHO INVENTED THE TELESCOPE?

Back in the 1200s scientists experimented with magnifying lenses, but it wasn't until 1608 that a Dutch optician named Hans Lippershey built what historians believe was our first telescope. Strangely, Lippershey was refused a patent for his instrument. Hearing about this, the Italian astronomer Galileo built his first telescope a year later, in 1609.

Galileo's telescope only magnified objects 33 times  about the strength of today's opera glasses. But even though they weren't too strong, Galileo is given credit for having been the first to see the satellites of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn and the craters on the moon. The field of vision in Galileo's telescope was very small. Less than one fourth of the diameter of the moon could be seen at a time.