Herschel “I have looked further into space than ever human being did before me” Explore Book Tickets Opening Times One discovered a planet; one chased comets; both were gifted musicians. Get to know musical astronomers William and Caroline Herschel, the brother and sister who lived and worked in this deceptively conventional townhouse here in Bath. 1766 William moves from Hanover (Germany) to England in 1757 as a musician, and moves to Bath in 1766. His brother Alexander joins him in 1770 and his sister Caroline in 1772. They live at 19 New King Street at different times from 1777 to 1782. 1774 William Herschel builds his first reflecting telescope and starts his own observational journal. (William builds all of his telescopes by hand, and polishing the telescope mirrors takes him hours.) 1781 William Herschel discovers the planet Uranus on 13 March 1781. In doing so, he doubles the size of the known solar system. The discovery leads him to take up a position as the King’s Astronomer to King George 3rd in July 1782. 1786 Caroline Herschel discovers her first comet on 1 August 1786. Caroline is as captivated by the night sky as her brother William, and makes several astronomical discoveries of her own. 1787 In 1787 Caroline is paid a £50 salary by King George III, making her the first paid female astronomer. A Bath Preservation Trust Museum Learn more about BPT About the Herschel Museum of Astronomy The Herschel Museum of Astronomy is dedicated to the achievements of William and Caroline Herschel. This brother and sister duo were distinguished astronomers and talented musicians. It was from this house that William discovered Uranus in 1781. About History Opening times and prices Events Learning & community engagement Our Learning and Education team welcome primary and secondary school trips in Bath. We also deliver outreach, family learning, higher education support, workshops, community events and more. Learn by immersion, with our range of hands-on science and history workshops for schools and community groups. Find out more about learning & community engagement Support Us Would you like to support our work? Consider a donation to our parent charity Bath Preservation Trust. Donate Become a BPT Member Newsletter sign up Stay up to date with our news and events. This site uses cookies to store information on your computer. Some of these cookies are essential, while others help us to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used.