Germany
William Herschel
said
A knowledge of the construction of the heavens has always been the ultimate object of my observations...
— Astronomical Observations relating to the Construction of the Heavens... (1811)
William Herschel
German-born British astronomer and composer (1738–1822)
- Fame68.7
- Momentum0.0
- Germany rank#227
Source-basedFalling
- Fame68.7
- Momentum0.0
- Germany rank#227
- Scientists rank#99
- Wikipedia21.8K
Lived 1738–1822, aged 84Germany
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Summary
Updated 2026-06-08
He found a planet with a homemade telescope. Uranus was the first world discovered since humans started writing down the sky, and the German bandsman who spotted it in 1781 became Court Astronomer by morning.
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About
Friedrich Wilhelm Herschel followed his father into a Hanoverian military band, then left for Britain in 1757 at nineteen. He took up astronomy in 1766, built his first large telescope in 1774, and spent nine years surveying double stars. On 13 March 1781, noting an odd object in Gemini, he confirmed after weeks of consultation that it was a new planet—Uranus, the first found since antiquity. George III made him Court Astronomer; the Royal Society elected him a Fellow and funded new instruments. He published catalogues of 2,500 nebulae in 1802 and 5,000 in 1820, proving many were star clusters…
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Sourced, dated quotes from William Herschel
William Herschel
said
An equal scattering of the stars may be admitted in certain calculations; but when we examine the milky way, or the closely compressed clusters of stars...
— Astronomical Observations relating to the Construction of the Heavens... (1811)
William Herschel
said
An object may not only contain stars, but also nebulosity not composed of them.
— Astronomical Observations relating to the Construction of the Heavens... (1811)
William Herschel
said
A proportional condensation of the nebulous matter in the brighter places will sufficiently account for their different degree of shining.
— Astronomical Observations relating to the Construction of the Heavens... (1811)
William Herschel
said
The number of compound nebulæ...
— Astronomical Observations relating to the Construction of the Heavens... (1811)
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Fame
Falling68.7
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Now attention5.0
Source confidence60.0
Completeness70.0
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