A biography of the brother and sister who helped found modern
astronomy
Discoverers of the Universe tells the gripping story of William
Herschel, the brilliant, fiercely ambitious, emotionally complex
musician and composer who became court astronomer to Britain's King
George III, and of William's sister, Caroline, who assisted him in his
observations of the night sky and became an accomplished astronomer in
her own right. Together, they transformed our view of the universe from
the unchanging, mechanical creation of Newton's clockmaker god to the
ever-evolving, incredibly dynamic cosmos that it truly is.
William was in his forties when his amateur observations using a
homemade telescope led to his discovery of Uranus, and an invitation to
King George's court. He coined the term "asteroid," discovered infrared
radiation, was the first to realize that our solar system is moving
through space, discovered 2,500 nebulae that form the basis of the
catalog astronomers use today, and was unrivalled as a telescope
builder. Caroline shared William's passion for astronomy, recording his
observations during night watches and organizing his papers for
publication. She was the first salaried woman astronomer in history, a
pioneer who herself discovered nine comets and became a role model for
women in the sciences.
Written by the world's premier expert on the Herschels, Discoverers of
the Universe traces William and Caroline's many extraordinary
contributions to astronomy, shedding new light on their productive but
complicated relationship, and setting their scientific achievements in
the context of their personal struggles, larger-than-life ambitions,
bitter disappointments, and astonishing triumphs.
