Did Galileo lose his eyesight just by viewing a solar eclipse?

Answer 1

Galileo Galilei became blind because of the combination of cataracts and glaucoma. It is also believed that he may have gone blind from using his telescope to look at the sun. But, he discovered that the sun had spots because of this.

Answer 2

The truth is that Galileo became blind at the age of 72, from a combination of cataracts and glaucoma.

This had nothing to do with his telescopic observations of the Sun a quarter of a century earlier, which were initially made only near sunrise and sunset, and later made by projection; in neither case could he have damaged his eyes.

Like much of the supposed "information" on the Web, the story about Galileo's blindness is completely untrue. Who's spreading this nonsense? A lot of folks who should know better

Answer 3

No, Galileo did not lose his eyesight solely from viewing a solar eclipse. It is believed that his extensive observations of the sun through a telescope contributed to his declining eyesight. Additionally, he may have developed cataracts later in life, further impairing his vision.