On March 13, 1781, Sir William Herschel discovered Uranus, the seventh planet from the sun.
Before Herschel discovered Uranus, other astronomers had seen it before, but no one realised it was a planet. Instead, they thought it was a star. Herschel actually thought he was looking at a comet. Because it was moving, he figured it couldn't have been a star. Herschel and other astronomers spent two years debating about whether it was a comet or a planet. In 1783, Herschel finally announced that Uranus was, in fact, a planet. But Uranus didn't receive its name until 1850. Herschel wanted to name it George's Star after King George III, but astronomers outside of England weren't cool with that. Ultimately, the German astronomer Johann Bode named it Uranus after the ancient Greek god of the sky. While the international astronomy community liked that name better than George's Star, the planet was hereby destined to forever be the butt of all solar system jokes.
Before Herschel discovered Uranus, other astronomers had seen it before, but no one realised it was a planet. Instead, they thought it was a star. Herschel actually thought he was looking at a comet. Because it was moving, he figured it couldn't have been a star. Herschel and other astronomers spent two years debating about whether it was a comet or a planet. In 1783, Herschel finally announced that Uranus was, in fact, a planet. But Uranus didn't receive its name until 1850. Herschel wanted to name it George's Star after King George III, but astronomers outside of England weren't cool with that. Ultimately, the German astronomer Johann Bode named it Uranus after the ancient Greek god of the sky. While the international astronomy community liked that name better than George's Star, the planet was hereby destined to forever be the butt of all solar system jokes.
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00:00On this day in space.
00:04On March 13, 1781, Sir William Herschel discovered Uranus, the seventh planet from the sun.
00:10Before Herschel discovered Uranus, other astronomers had seen it before, but no one realized it
00:14was a planet.
00:15Instead, they thought it was a star.
00:18Herschel actually thought he was looking at a comet.
00:20Because it was moving, he figured it couldn't have been a star.
00:24Herschel and other astronomers spent two years debating about whether it was a comet or a
00:27planet.
00:28In 1783, Herschel finally announced that Uranus was, in fact, a planet.
00:33But Uranus didn't receive its name until 1850.
00:36Herschel wanted to name it George's Star after King George III, but astronomers outside
00:40of England weren't cool with that.
00:42Ultimately, the German astronomer Johann Bode named it Uranus after the ancient Greek god
00:47of the sky.
00:48While the international astronomy community liked that name better than George's Star,
00:52the planet was hereby destined to forever be the butt of all solar system jokes.
00:57And that's what happened on this day in space.