William Herschel

Friedrich Wilhelm Herschel was born in the Electorate of Hanover, the son of an oboist in the Hanoverian military band.

After serving as a young musician in the Hanoverian Guards band, Herschel moved to England at the age of nineteen and made his living as a musician and music teacher.

Herschel settled in Bath as organist and concert director, composing symphonies and concertos while pursuing astronomy in his spare time.

Using a homemade reflecting telescope in his garden at Bath, Herschel discovered Uranus, the first planet found since ancient times.

Following the discovery of Uranus, Herschel was awarded the Copley Medal and appointed court astronomer with a royal pension, allowing him to devote himself fully to astronomy.

Herschel married the widow Mary Pitt; their son John Herschel became a distinguished astronomer in his own right.

Herschel finished his great 40-foot reflecting telescope, the largest scientific instrument in the world at the time, and observed a new moon of Saturn on its first night of use.

By measuring temperatures beyond the red end of the solar spectrum, Herschel discovered invisible 'calorific rays', now known as infrared radiation.

Herschel was elected the first President of the Astronomical Society of London, which later became the Royal Astronomical Society.

Herschel died at his home in Slough at the age of 83 and was buried at St Laurence's Church, Upton.