Later, when telescopes were used, their concepts of the sun, moon, planets, and stars changed. The invention of the telescope created a tremendous transformation in the study of the heavens. Around 1600, Galileo used one of the first telescopes to witness the rings around the planet Saturn and the moons around Jupiter. Now astronomers can get a closer look at the moon, the planets and distant stars. It allows them to measure motion of these bodies more accurately, such that they can predict where the objects will be in the future.
Huge telescopes allow astronomers to look even deeper into space.
Other telescopes were invented that measure radio waves and x-rays sent from distant galaxies. Spectrometer Another very important invention in the study of objects in space was the spectrometer . This device examines the different colors that make up the light from a distant star. Each element gives off its own color distribution when it gives off light, such as during burning or intense heat. The distribution of colors measured by the spectrometer allows scientists to determine the chemical composition of the distant stars.