The International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009) is soon approaching and it promises to be a global celebration of astronomy and its contribution to society and culture, highlighted by the 400th anniversary of the first use of an astronomical telescope by Galileo in 1609.

What if we could go back in time– and meet Galileo on the verge of his sudden trajectory toward fame? Could we get a glimpse into the mind of a man whose destiny it was to be the first human being to assault the heavens with a telescope, and explain to the rest of us what he saw?

Since 1996, Mark A. Thompson, a native of Southern California, has entertained audiences at universities, colleges, schools and organizations across the country as “Galileo” in An Evening with Galileo, Galileo’s Universe, and now, a new production: Galileo 1610, to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s wondrous telescopic discoveries of 1610.

Mr. Thompson is Cantorial Soloist at Temple Beth Sholom in Santa Ana, California. He received his Master of Arts from California State University at Long Beach and his Bachelor of Arts from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel.

Thompson, an avid amateur astronomer, achieved notoriety when he was forced by the City of Seal Beach to remove an observatory dome from the roof of his home after he had been given permission by the city to build it. During this debacle, Thompson began to read about Galileo’s problems with the authorities and became fascinated with the great scientist’s life.

Galileo 1610 is the product of a decade of extensive research, writing and performance. Many of Galileo’s remarks are in his actual words, culled from hundreds of original and secondary sources.