BellaOnline Forums Education Astronomy First new planet ever discovered March 13, 1781

Today is the 232nd anniversary of a historic event. German-born musician William Herschel discovered the first new planet since antiquity. He was observing in his back garden in Bath, England. The new planet was eventually named Uranus (sky god & father of Saturn) and its discovery doubled the diameter of the known Solar System.

You can find out more here: Herschel Museum of Astronomy

Caroline Herschel, born in Hanover March 16, 1750, was William Herschel's younger sister. He was on his own when he discovered Uranus, but later Caroline worked with him, as well as becoming an independent observer. She was the first woman to be credited with the discovery of a comet and during her lifetime she discovered not only eight comets but also a number of other celestial objects.

Caroline had little formal education and was treated by her widowed mother as a domestic servant. You can find out how she escaped from domestic drudgery to become one of most famous women in Europe here: Caroline Herschel

Caroline Herschel discovered this nebulous object in 1783. Although it was just a fuzzy object in an 18th century telescope, you can see that it's the nearly edge-on spiral Sculptor Galaxy NGC 253 in this image taken by Angus Lau. It's a beautiful starburst galaxy, meaning it has a high rate of new star formation.

The king of England paid a salary to William Herschel as the King's Astronomer. Caroline was also paid as his assistant. You can see a copy of a "pay slip" written by the king himself here: payment from George III to the Herschels. The original was on display in the Science Museum until recently - it was on loan from the Herschel family.

Today is the anniversary of William Herschel's discovery of the planet we now call Uranus. Herschel called it Georgium Sidus (George's Star) in honor of King George III. Hmm. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn . . . George? Doesn't work for me. What's in a Name?