Did an Englishman beat Galileo to the first moon observation?

History credits the Italian philosopher as the first to turn a telescope towards the moon, but months earlier Thomas Harriot drew detailed maps of our heavenly neighbour, revealing mountains, craters and giant plains

Thomas Harriot, a wealthy but publicity-shy astronomer and mapmaker, produced a series of exquisite lunar drawings, one of which is dated 26 July 1609 (above), pre-dating Galileo's much-celebrated observations of the moon by six months.

I say....of course we did.....
Guardian article

But of course, we were all beaten to it by the ancients anyway....

reply to post by AlwaysQuestion


Yes he did,the story was featured on BBC's 'The sky at night'
If Patrick Moore says so then its good enough for me