'Galileo is very good at promoting himself.'

Moon surface paintings drawn by British cartographer Thomas Harriot before Galileo are about to be displayed in public.

These 17th-century paintings show that Harriot may be "quicker" than the famous Italian scientist in observing the moon's moon with a telescope.

One of his paintings was dated July 26, 1960, six months before Galileo achieved the same achievement.

Harriot's portrait with his moon map.

West Sussex county architect Alison McCann said: "Galileo is very good at promoting himself, while Harriot is not interested in it. Harriot does not publish his work, so very few people. know him '.

In the near future, he will have a display of Harriot's drawings depicting all features of the moon, including its sea and its craters. There are also original Harriot drawings depicting Jupiter moons, sunspots of the sun and Halley comet.

McCann said: 'The exhibition will help more people know Harriot and give him the reputation that he deserves as one of the most outstanding scientists of the 17th century.'

The paintings above are owned by Lord Egremont of Petworth, a descendant of the Northumberland Earl, now handed over to West Sussex County Archives.

The original Harriot moon painting will be included in an international exhibition of Galileo in Florence, Italy in the summer of 2009.