Galileo Galilei was an Italian astronomer, physicist, and mathematician who is considered one of the greatest scientists of all time. He was born in 1564 in Pisa, Italy, and made many important contributions to the fields of astronomy, physics, and mathematics. Galileo is best known for his support of the heliocentric model of the solar system, which holds that the Earth and other planets orbit the sun, rather than the other way around. This view was in conflict with the dominant geocentric model, which was supported by the Catholic Church, and Galileo was eventually tried for heresy and forced to recant his views. Despite this, his work laid the foundations for modern science and is still highly regarded today.