A Woman to Know: Caroline Herschel
However important man becomes, he is nothing compared to the stars. — Caroline
(image from Wellcome Library, London)
After William Herschel discovered Uranus in 1794, King George III began paying him an annual salary as "royal astronomer"— with added money to retain his sister Caroline as a telescope assistant. Caroline crafted lenses for telescopes and other astronomical paraphernalia, and her work in William's observatory led her to her own discoveries: extraterrestrial clouds, cosmic haze and a plethora of deep sky objects. After William died in 1822, Caroline took his role as royal astronomer, surveying the sky and discovering eight comets — the first woman to identify shooting stars as such. She studied stars until she died at age 97.
"However long we live, life is short, so I work," she said. Simple enough.
Add to your reading list:
The Comet Sweeper: Caroline Herschel's Astronomical Ambition (Claire Brock)
The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science (Richard Holmes)
The Story of the Herschels, a Family of Astronomers (Andesite Press)
Memoir and Correspondence of Caroline Herschel (John Herschel)
Read more:
Women in Astronomy: An Introductory Guide (Astronomical Society)
Caroline Herschel, Lady Astronomer (One Minute Astronomer)
The Caroline Herschel Distinguished Visitor Program (The Telescopic Space Institute)
Star-gazing girls of Georgian England (The Museum of Childhood)
Caroline Herschel in "The Dinner Party" (Brooklyn Museum)
Caroline Herschel's bio (Space.com)
Caroline Herschel (She's an Astronomer!)
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