March 13, 1781 Planet Uranus Discovered

KOMPAS.com – Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun. Uranus is a planet that has the third largest radius and the fourth largest mass in the Solar System.

Uranus is also the only planet whose name is derived from a character in Greek mythology, from the Latinized version of the name of the Greek sky god, Ouranos.

This day 241 years ago, on March 13, 1781, the German-born British astronomer, William Herschel discovered Uranus, the seventh planet from the Sun.

Reported from HistoryHerschel’s discovery was the first discovery that occurred in the modern era.

Furthermore, this is the first planetary discovery using a telescope as a tool to identify celestial bodies.

The use of the telescope allowed Herschel to identify Uranus as a planet, not a star as astronomers previously believed.

Also read: The Mystery of Planet Nine, Believed To Be There but Never Seen

History of the name Uranus

His discovery was then considered a historic discovery for which Herschel was knighted.

Herschel named the planet George the North Star or “Planet Georgia” in honor of King George III of England.

However, the German astronomer Johann Bode, proposed the name “Uranus” to continue the naming of the celestial bodies to match the classical names derived from the mythological Greek gods.

Uranus is the name of an ancient Greek god who was the forerunner of the Olympian gods.

In the mid-19th century, the name was also generally accepted by the public as the seventh planet from the Sun.

Also read: 8 Planets in the Solar System Facts and Possible Ninth Planet

–
–