Lipperhey is sitting with his telescope in the Abbey garden: “Don’t forget it a second time!

The Lipperhey statue was made by artist Joop van Nugteren from Burgh-Haamstede: “It’s very special that people can now see the statue and sit next to it. I have been working there for three months. I feel like I’m walking. on springs. “

Van Nugteren only had one portrait photo of Lipperhey: “I had to make the whole image from that photo. The advantage is that you have a lot of freedom and you can use your imagination.

Unknown to the general public

The statue was desired because Lipperhey is relatively unknown to the general public. According to Koppejan, this obscurity can be explained: “He was a craftsman. They weren’t that important people. He intended these binoculars for navigation or to see the enemy. Galileo Galilei was the first to target and use the starry sky. to make things visible. that you wouldn’t be able to see otherwise. With that, he somewhat overshadowed the name Lipperhey. “

Lipperhey invented the telescope in 1608: “His workshop was exactly on the other side of this herb garden. There he experimented with lenses because he was a spectacle maker. lenses to be able to use the telescope. From that moment the viewer entered Europe as a useful scientific instrument, ”explains Koppejan.

This first spectator became the Dutch spectator said: “Other scientists heard about this invention and started to perfect themselves and improve the viewers. In no time, the most fantastic discoveries were made,” says Koppejan.

Even now important

Not only in the past, but also today, science still enthusiastically uses the telescope. Teacher. Dr. Dr. Heino Falcke used the telescope to take a picture of the black hole. He is happy that Lipperhey is being honored at this place, but hopes other places in Middelburg will also indicate that Lipperhey is here: “You have to let people know that he is here. People talk about Galileo Galilei, but it’s Hans Lipperhey. and forget about his invention. You have to make sure that it is stated in the city that it can be found here. Don’t forget it a second time! “