Today in History

March 13, 1781
Seventh Rock from the Sun
British astronomer Sir William Herschel spies the sun's seventh planet, Uranus, while surveying stars with his self-built telescope. Though the celestial body had been observed previously and was thought to be a star, Herschel's observations showed a moving object, which he initially described as a comet. The third largest planet in our solar system, Uranus is given the Greek mythological name for the father of Saturn.



Today's Feature History Article

The Planet Hunters

Nevermind the demotion of Pluto to a dwarf planet. Astronomers have found about 200 planets orbiting other stars, and they say it's only a matter of time before they discover another Earth.




 



Advertisement