William Herschel Quotes

1738–1822 England

Sir Frederick William Herschel KH FRS (German: Friedrich Wilhelm Herschel) (15 November 1738 – 25 August 1822) was a German-born British astronomer, technical expert, telescope maker, organist and composer who became famous for discovering Uranus. He also discovered infrared radiation and made many other contributions to astronomy.

England
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Random William Herschel quote

23 quotes

An equal scattering of the stars may be admitted in certain calculations; but when we examine the milky way, or the closely compressed clusters of stars... this supposed equality of scattering must be given up.

Astronomical Observations relating to the Construction of the Heavens (1811)

We see it [the as-yet unseen, probable new planet, Neptune] as Columbus saw America from the coast of Spain. Its movements have been felt, trembling along the far-reaching line of our analysis with a certainty hardly inferior to that of ocular demonstration.

A standard of reference for the arrangement of the stars may be had by comparing their distribution to a certain properly modified equality of scattering. The equality which I propose does not require that the stars should be at equal distances from each other, nor is it necessary that all those of the same nominal magnitude should be equally distant from us.

Sir William Herschel: His Life and Works (1880)

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: William Herschel (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.