William Herschel

William Herschel (1738–1822) was a German-born British astronomer and composer who discovered Uranus and advanced observational astronomy through systematic observations and telescope making.

Uranus: The seventh planet from the Sun, discovered by William Herschel in 1781. Herschel's discovery of this planet transformed him from an observer into an internationally recognized astronomer.
Reflecting telescope: A telescope that uses mirrors to collect and focus light. Herschel's largest instruments used mirrors to gather more light than contemporary refracting telescopes.
Caroline Herschel: A German-born British astronomer who discovered comets and assisted William Herschel's observations. She worked as Herschel's observing assistant and became an accomplished astronomer in her own right.
Discovery of Uranus: The identification of Uranus as a planet by William Herschel in 1781. The discovery expanded the known planetary system beyond the naked-eye planets and brought Herschel scientific fame.
Infrared radiation: Electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths longer than visible light and shorter than microwaves. Herschel detected this invisible radiation in 1800 by measuring temperatures beyond the red end of sunlight's spectrum.
Speculum metal: A brittle copper–tin alloy historically used to make highly reflective telescope mirrors. Herschel cast and polished speculum-metal mirrors for his reflecting telescopes.
John Herschel: A British astronomer, mathematician, and photographer, and the son of William Herschel. He extended his father's astronomical legacy through observations and cataloguing in the nineteenth century.
Astronomical catalog: A systematic list of celestial objects with identifying positions or descriptive information. Herschel's surveys and catalogues helped establish systematic observation as a lasting astronomical practice.
Herschel's 40-foot telescope: A large reflecting telescope built by William Herschel and completed in 1789. Its exceptional size embodied Herschel's effort to observe faint and distant celestial objects.
Telescope mirror grinding: The shaping and polishing of a telescope mirror to produce an accurate reflecting surface. Herschel made his own mirrors, turning precision craftsmanship into a central part of his astronomy.

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