Tuesday, 19 November 2024

Three Aloes

 


March 13, 1781, William Herschel made note of an object in the nighttime sky. He was in his garden, using a homemade 6.2” telescope. He reported the object was a comet, although it had no tail. After several weeks of watching his “comet,” William determined the object must be a planet. In recognition of this momentous discovery, King George III offered a stipend of £200 (roughly £30,000 in today’s money) as long as William moved to Windsor so the royal family could enjoy using his telescopes. As the planet’s finder, William was tasked with choosing a name. He settled on “Georgium Sidus” or “Planet George” to honor his new patron. The name was more popular in England than elsewhere. It was argued the other planets – named for Roman gods – sounded more dignified. Eventually Planet George was renamed for the Greek god of the sky: Ouranos. I guess Uranus is more distinguished. But George is easier to spell. And pronounce.

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