OPTICAL COMPETITION by Gabriella Bernardi Paragoni! p OPTICAL ROYALTY In this painting by Mariano Piervittori, famed 17th-century optician Eustachio Divini is depicted presenting one of his telescopes to the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Ferdinand II de' Medici. Ferdinand was a patron and friend of Galileo Galilei, and his youngest brother established the Accademia del Cimento (Academy of Experiment). 58 APRIL 2 02 0 * SK Y & TELESCOPE