1608
1608 is the year the telescope was patented in the Netherlands.
- Even
- Composite
Where 1608 fits
Why 1608 is special
The patent was refused as the design was too easy to copy. Within a year the instrument had reached Galileo, who improved it and pointed it upward, which the original spectacle-makers had not thought to do.
Factors & digit properties
- Divisors (16)
- 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, 67, 134, 201, 268, 402, 536, 804, 1608
- Prime factorisation
- 2^3 × 3 × 67
- Digit sum
- 15
- Digital root
- 6
Representations
- Decimal
- 1608
- Binary
- 11001001000
- Octal
- 3110
- Hexadecimal
- 648
- Roman numeral
- MDCVIII
- Scientific notation
- 1.608 × 10^3
Other mathematical patterns
- Abundant number
Related numbers & connections
The telescope was patented in the Netherlands in 1608 and Galileo published observations made with an improved version in 1610. Two years separate an instrument for looking at ships from one pointed at Jupiter.
View 1610 →Other connections
- developed from1610
why?
Strength 0.50, confidence "high".
Technology & computing
Hans Lippershey's telescope application was denied because the device was trivially reproducible. That refusal is part of why the design spread across Europe within months and reached Galileo in time for the 1610 observations.
DocumentedTechnology & computingGeography: NetherlandsPeriod: 1608
Common questions
Is 1608 a prime number?
No, 1608 is not prime.
What are the factors of 1608?
The factors of 1608 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, 67, 134, 201, 268, 402, 536, 804, 1608.
What is 1608 in Roman numerals?
1608 in Roman numerals is MDCVIII.
About this page's data
Mathematical facts:computed directly from the number's value — nothing to source or verify externally.
Contextual records: 1 reviewer-confirmed record, sourced and reviewed before publication.
Last reviewed: 3 August 2026