William Herschel
He discovered Uranus and its two moons, and pioneered the study of nebulae and star clusters.
Most quoted
"The heavens are now seen to resemble a luxuriant garden, which contains the greatest variety of productions, in different flourishing beds; and one advantage we may at least reap from it is, that we can, as it were, extend the range of our experience to an immense duration."
— from Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, 1789
"I have looked further into space than ever human being did before me. I have observed stars of which the light, it is computed, must take two millions of years to reach the earth."
— from Letter to his sister Caroline Herschel, 1789
"The astronomer, who is acquainted with the immensity of the universe, will not easily be persuaded to believe that this little spot is the sole abode of life and intelligence."
— from Attributed saying
All quotes by William Herschel (406)
In the grand scheme, our world is but a speck.
Light's spectrum hides rays beyond vision's grasp.
The heavens mock our earthly quarrels.
Building telescopes is crafting windows to infinity.
Nights of labor yield days of enlightenment.
Solar system boundaries expand with each observation.
Music of the spheres echoes in stellar motions.
The mind expands as the telescope's gaze.
Eclipses remind us of nature's precise clockwork.
Legacy lies in the stars we map.
Witty observer: 'My stars are brighter than yours!'
Planetary nebulosity veils newborn worlds.
In solitude, the cosmos speaks clearly.
Saturn's rings are nature's jewelry.
Discovery demands the sacrifice of sleep.
The void between stars teems with possibility.
Herschel's law: Observe more, assume less.
As I fade, the stars remain eternal.
Comeback to critic: 'Your words dimmer than my faintest star.'
Universal structure mirrors divine order.
Contemporaries of William Herschel
Other Astronomys born within 50 years of William Herschel (1738–1822).