Astronomy Buff

400 Years of Telescopes and Irish Whiskey

by Tony on January 28th, 2008

Photo Credit: Ruth L.

This year marks the 400th anniversary, the Quadricentennial, of the invention of the telescope. The earliest known record of the invention of the telescope belongs to Hans Lipperhey,

“who claims to have a certain device by means of which all things at a very great distance can be seen as if they were nearby, by looking through glasses which he claims to be a new invention.” (Full article)

The above was in a letter dated 25 September, 1608.

Curiously, 400 years ago a license to distill whiskey in Bushmill, Ireland was granted the Bushmill Distillery:

Claiming to be the “Worlds Oldest Whiskey Distillery” based on the undisputed fact that a seven year licence to distil dating from April 20th 1608 is attributed to the distillery. (Webpage Here)

Bushmill’s Webpage

Is this a coincidence or is there some cosmic significance to this most curious timing? Did one lead to the other? Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

Well, no matter how you look at it, 1608 was a very good year…

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