Who invented the telescope and when?

The telescope is commonly credited to Hans Lippershey, a German-Dutch lensmaker, who is believed to have built the first practical telescope in 1608. However, Galileo Galilei, an Italian astronomer, made significant improvements to the design and was the first to use a telescope for astronomical observations in 1609. Galileo’s use of the telescope helped him discover the moons of Jupiter, the phases of Venus, and the craters of the Moon, which revolutionized our understanding of the universe. His work played a crucial role in the development of modern science and astronomy.