Giacomo Badoer

Giacomo Badoer (c.1575 – c.1620) was a French-born diplomat, of Venetian parentage, and pupil of Galileo Galilei.

Scientific interests Badoer studied mathematics with Galileo in Padua in 1598/9. He later supported Galileo in 1607, in a priority dispute with Baldassarre Capra over the invention of a military compass.

Badoer was one of the correspondents of Paolo Sarpi in Venice, who towards the end of 1608 was making enquiries about the invention in the Netherlands of the telescope. Badoer wrote back in spring 1609 from Paris to Sarpi with news of the commercial telescopes then being sold; it is said that Galileo heard of the new product via this route, around July 1609. He mentioned Badoer as his source in Sidereus Nuncius.

Badoer remained close to Galileo, according to Élie Diodati, writing around 1620, when Badoer was already dead.