Constellation Similarity Assertions

Herschel, William, 1738-1822

William Herschel(b. November 15, 1738, Hannover, Germany–d. August 25, 1822, Slough, England) was a British astronomer and composer, and brother of fellow astronomer Caroline Herschel, with whom he worked.

Herschel constructed his first large telescope in 1774, after which he spent nine years carrying out sky surveys to investigate double stars. Herschel published catalogues of nebulae in 1802 (2,500 objects) and in 1820 (5,000 objects). In the course of an observation on 13 March 1781, he realized that one celestial body he had observed was not a star, but a planet, Uranus. This was the first planet to be discovered since antiquity and Herschel became famous overnight. As a result of this discovery, George III appointed him Court Astronomer.

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