He March 13, 1781, William Herschel He discovered “a curious diffuse star, visibly larger than the rest.” What I described was the planet Uranusthat it would be the first of the solar system to be known through a telescope, and with it changed the course of the study of astronomy, being a pioneer in the study of the galaxy and in the identification of nebulae and stars.
The discovery of Uranus: from ’34 Tauri ‘A’ Jorge ‘
Uranus is one of the planets that can be seen through the bare eye, and had been appreciated above, but had been confused with a star. In 1690, the British John Flamsteed He had characterized his vision as a stellar coso for his brightness and slow movement, which he baptized as ’34 Tauri ‘and that same destiny had continued in the continuous observations.
However, everything would change on March 13, 1781 when William Herschel From his Bath study he discovered what he saw as a new planet, with a disc form and turning on fixed stars, thinking he saw it was a new comet at first.
Because of its finding, it was proposed that this new planet be named after its discoverer, Herschel, but he wanted to dedicate it to what his sponsor was, King Jorge III of the United Kingdombelonging to the Hannover house, German town from which the same astronomer came.
This was hired as a real astronomer by 300 annual guineas, and became a professional, leaving behind his work as a musician, with whom he had triumphed and installed in Bath, England. This allowed him to devote only to astronomy and thus discovered the two major satellites of Uranus, Titania and Oeronand two from Saturn, Fallen and Mimasand was the largest telescope builder in history.
Caroline Herschel, the silenced astronomer
But William Herschel did not make his discovery alone, but at his side was his sister Caroline Herschel, who had also followed his steps first in music as a singer, and later in astronomy. In fact, she was the first woman to be an astronomer professionally upon receiving a salary for it.
Caroline Herschel focused on the study of comets, discovering several of them, and the death of his brother, educated and cared for John, his nephew, who inherited the study of astronomy, which became a family legacy.
How the seventh planet arrived was called Uranus
In 1781 Uranus was discovered, but then responded to the name of ‘Georgium Sidus‘For the express desire of the one who found it and in honor of King Jorge III. This would be its official denomination until 1850, when another German, Johann Elert Bodehe chose to change it and follow the tradition of the title of the planets of the Solar System.
This is how in the mid -nineteenth century the name of the planet changed to Uranus to follow the steps that had taken place as the previous ones, with a correlation that was based on Greek mythology. It was decided by Uranus to be Saturn’s father, the previous star.
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