BellaOnline Forums Education Astronomy Happy Birthday, William Herschel

A professional musician named William Herschel was the first person in history to discover a planet. Later, as a professional astronomer, Herschel studied the stars and deep space objects to try to understand 'the construction of the heavens." He was one of the fathers of modern astronomy.

William Herschel

A selection of the best images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope during its two decades in orbit. The music is the second movement of the Chamber Symphony In F Major by William Herschel, astronomer and composer.

Chamber Symphony In F Major: II. Adagio e cantabile (Herschel)
Artist: The Mozart Orchestra, Davis Jerome & Richard Woodhams
Album: Sir William Herschel - Music By The Father Of Modern Astronomy

This is a drawing of Herschel's Great 40-foot Telescope. It was, for over half a century, the largest telescope in the world. William's son dismantled the telescope in 1840 because it had become a hazard. However, before the supporting structure was dismantled, John Herschel - a pioneer of photography - took a picture of the 40-ft telescope structure. It's the oldest known photograph on glass.

In 1781 William Herschel was the first person in history to discover a new planet. He was observing in the back garden of his home in Bath, England. The house where history was made is a museum and its new Caroline Lucretia Gallery is named for William's sister, the first woman to be credited with the discovery of a comet.

Herschel Museum of Astronomy

What's hiding within an impenetrable dark cloud in the constellation of the Eagle? A stunning stellar nursery. Find out how the Herschel Space Observatory was able to photograph it.

What Herschel Found in a Dark Cloud

What's hiding within an impenetrable dark cloud in the constellation of the Eagle? A stunning stellar nursery. Find out how the Herschel Space Observatory was able to photograph it.

What Herschel Found in a Dark Cloud