Known as the father of the Scientific Revolution, Galileo Galilei is best known for invention of the telescope which he used to develop his scientific theories. Galileo's real love was mechanical engineering and he applied his skills to a wide range of useful objects for the study of science. Galileo invented the telescope, which proved invaluable for ship navigation. Navigators could now make out land formations well in advance of bumping into the shore. Galileo also invented the thermometer. In Galileo's time the popular thermascope was an inaccurate measure of heat. Galileo modernized the device, including a series of numbers on its surface to reflect accurate measurements of temperature. He constructed a hydrostatic balance, which jewelers found useful for weighing the amount of precious metals in their goods. And Galileo hit upon the idea of using the swing of a pendulum to regulate clocks. For Galileo's scientific discoveries, his telescope proved the most useful. Galileo turned his device towards the heavens to view the planets. He discovered four of Jupiter's satellites and was the first to detect sunspots.