William Herschel
A German-born British Astronomer and Composer
Elizabeth Becker ~ Manakul Hour 3
Herschel's Childhood
Why Science?
His Major Experiment/ How he Shaped History
Herschel later studied the nature of nebulae. He discovered that all nebulae were formed of stars, which disproved the belief that nebulae were composed of a luminous fluid. Herschel discovered not only Uranus and it's two moons, but two moons of Saturn too. He figured out that the solar system is constantly flying at massive speeds through space and which direction it is moving in. Another suggestion he made was that the milky way is in the shape of a disk.
On December 7, 1781, William Herschel's friend William Watson presented a catalog that sparked an interest in clusters and nebulae. Before, Herschel had only observed four nebulae: The Orion Nebula, its companion M43, globular cluster M13 in Hercules, and the Andromeda "Nebula". He soon started investigating closer looks in astronomy. Herschel was interested "that several nebulae might yet remain undiscovered". He continued surveying the skies.
Awards
Hardships
Herschel started to examine the correlation of solar variation and solar cycle and climate. Hershel had observed sunspots and their variations in number, form and size over a period of 40 years. Most of his observations took place in a period of low solar activity, so solar activity behaved very unusually. This was one of the reasons why Herschel was not able to identify the standard 11-year period in solar activity.
Fun Facts
- He was the first person to discover the existence of infrared radiation.
- He invented a microscope that helped to see that coral had the characteristic of thin cell walls like animals, not like plants that had thick cell walls.
- He constructed more than four hundred telescopes. The largest that he made was 49 1/2 inches in diameter for the primary mirror, and was 40 feet in focal length. It was a reflecting telescope.
- The Herschel Museum of Astronomy is where he lived and made most of his telescopes.
- He was well known for the twenty-four symphonies that he composed.
Why Herschel is the Most Influential Scientist in History
He is so influential because his work is what led to the growth of the knowledge of astronomy. If he had never picked up his astronomy book, there is a chance that no one would have ever discovered what is out there. He not only discovered Uranus and it's two moons, but kept seeking more information after he already had been given fame. That is something to praise him for, because it shows that he really cared about the science and not just the publicity. Herschel's story has pushed many scientists to the point where they decide to keep researching a topic that may even seem useless at the time because he was such an inspiring scientist.
Sources
"William Herschel." Famous Scientists. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2014.
"Sir William Herschel -- "The King's Astronomer" | David Rives." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2014.
"William Herschel (1738-1822)." William Herschel (1738-1822). N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2014. <http://messier.seds.org/xtra/Bios/wherschel.html>.
"Fun Facts about Me - William Herschel: A Man Dedicated to Astronomy and Music." Fun Facts about Me - William Herschel: A Man Dedicated to Astronomy and Music. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2014. <https://sites.google.com/site/wwwwilliamherschelis1com/links>.
William Herschel. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/resources/explorations/groundup/lesson/bios/herschel-wm/graphics/bio_wm_herschel.jpg>.
Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.bath.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/starsherschel.jpg>.
Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.astronomy.org/programs/planet-quiz-show/answers/42a.jpg>
Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.orionsarm.com/im_store/uranus.jpg>.
Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. <https://royalsociety.org/~/media/Royal_Society_Content/awards/medals-awards-prizes/copley-medal/2011-04-06-CopleyBack-700.jpg>.