BellaOnline Forums Education Astronomy Happy Birthday, Caroline Herschel

Caroline Herschel was born 267years ago - March 16, 1750 - in Hanover.

Caroline's life is often considered something of a Cinderella story, though I think of her more like an intellectual Eliza Doolittle from My Fair Lady. She was an intelligent young woman trapped in domestic servitude by her mother. But her brother William rescued her and trained her as a singer. After he discovered the planet Uranus, the two of them ended up forming a great partnership whose work revolutionized the study of astronomy.

One of the comets attributed to Caroline Herschel is listed as 35P/Herschel–Rigollet. She first observed it on December 21, 1788. It was then confirmed and observed by a number of prominent astronomers of the time.

In July 1939 Roger Rigollet discovered a comet. When the orbit was calculated, it appeared that this was a rediscovery of one of Caroline's comets. The comet takes 155 years to orbit the Sun – the “P” in its designation shows that it's a periodic comet, i.e., that like Halley's Comet it's known to return.

Last year on Caroline Herschel's birth anniversary, there was a Google doodle in her honor. She seems to be doing her observing in the middle of a very active meteor shower - perhaps the Perseids, which are in the summer!

Caroline's brother William was one of the best telescope makers of his time. He made this telescope for Caroline which is now in the Science Museum in London.

Mona, thanks for all of the educational tidbits that I find in your forum. I don't always tell you how much I appreciate them; please just know that I do.

Connie, thanks for your kind comments.