March 13: Discovery of Uranus (1781)
Prayer Idea
Pray for astronomers.
History Note
Ancient people identified the planets known as Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. The Greek word planetes means “wanderer.” Because they are also orbiting our sun, the planets “wander” across the sky in relation to the much more distant stars. You can see these five planets in the sky without a telescope.
William Herschel (1738-1822) was born in the German city of Hannover. He became a musician like his father and moved to England as a young man. Herschel became interested in astronomy and developed techniques to build his own advanced telescope. William’s sister, Caroline Herschel (1750-1848), collaborated on his research, performing calculations and conducting her own astronomical observations.
On March 13, 1781, William Herschel identified an object in the night sky that later became known as the planet Uranus. Herschel received public acclaim in England. King George III made him a royal astronomer.
This 1896 print by A. Diethe shows William Herschel and Caroline Herschel working on a telescope component. Image courtesy the Wellcome Collection.
Learn More
This video looks at William Herschel’s interest in astronomy and the discovery of Uranus.
Find more resources about astronomy at Homeschool History.
