Account of a comet
Date
1781
Creator
William Herschel (1738 - 1822, German-British) , Astronomer
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 205mm
width (page): 330mm
width (page): 330mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Two charts tracing the path of a comet, using fixed stars.
Figure 3 and 4 from the paper Account of a comet by William Herschel, 1781. Published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, volume 71, 492-501, 1781.
Accompanying inscription ‘Angle of position of the Comet with regard to the parallel of declination of the same telescopic fixt stars measured by a micrometer of which I have given the description, and a magnifying power of 278.
William Herschel was the first to discover an entirely new planet, Uranus, using a telescope. He initially believed that the object was a comet but further evidence convinced him that this must be a planetary body. The discovery was truly sensational and made Herschel internationally famous. He named the new world Georgium Sidus, after his patron King George III.
William Herschel (1738-1822) was a British astronomer, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1781.
Figure 3 and 4 from the paper Account of a comet by William Herschel, 1781. Published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, volume 71, 492-501, 1781.
Accompanying inscription ‘Angle of position of the Comet with regard to the parallel of declination of the same telescopic fixt stars measured by a micrometer of which I have given the description, and a magnifying power of 278.
William Herschel was the first to discover an entirely new planet, Uranus, using a telescope. He initially believed that the object was a comet but further evidence convinced him that this must be a planetary body. The discovery was truly sensational and made Herschel internationally famous. He named the new world Georgium Sidus, after his patron King George III.
William Herschel (1738-1822) was a British astronomer, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1781.
Associated place