Telescope Makers, Telescope Users

Will Schroeder | Kitware Blog | March 28, 2011

Okay science aficionados and practitioners let me ask you a simple question: Who's more important, the telescope maker or the telescope user? Is it the person who discovers the astronomical body or the person who enables the discovery?

Let me take a radical stance: they are equally important.

Okay I'm playing games here, most people would probably agree with this statement. So what's the big deal? Well the big deal is that culturally we tend to celebrate the telescope users. For example, how many people know the names Hans Lippershey, Zacharias Jansen, or Jacob Metius (three people associated with the discovery of the telescope)? Compare this with the single name Galileo Galilei, credited with the discovery of four of Jupiter's moons, sunspots and the phases of Venus.

In all fairness Galileo contributed an enormous amount to science, was elevated in name during tumultuous times (asked to recant his theories under pressure from authorities), and has the sort of name that fits nicely into a popular musical or song. He also refined telescope design (i.e., became a telescope maker). By comparison the telescope makers were simple craftsman who "were by and large illiterate and therefore historically often invisible."

If it were simply a cultural artifact I wouldn't be writing this blog. Unfortunately, I believe that this bias towards telescope users goes beyond cultural perception, it affects contemporary technology decision makers too. I am also of the opinion this is negatively impacting the transition of technology to benefit the public good, especially in this current age of technological complexity...