Caroline Herschel
First professional female astronomer and comet discoverer.
Caroline Lucretia Herschel (16 March 1750 – 9 January 1848) was a German astronomer, whose most significant contributions to astronomy were the discoveries of several comets, including the periodic comet 35P/Herschel–Rigollet, which bears her name. She was the younger sister of astronomer William Herschel, with whom she worked for most of her career. She was the first known professional female astronomer, and the first woman to receive a salary as a scientist, and the first woman in England to hold a government position.
- born
- 16 March 1750, Hanover, Germany
- died
- 9 January 1848
- field
- Astronomy
- nationality
- German
- known_for
- Discoveries of several comets, including 35P/Herschel–Rigollet; first profession
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Caroline Lucretia Herschel was born in Hanover, Germany on 16 March 1750, the eighth child and fourth daughter of Isaac Herschel, a self-taught oboist, and Anna Ilse Moritzen. At age ten she was struck with typhus, which stunted her growth to 4 feet 3 inches and cost her the vision in her right eye. Her family assumed she would never marry, and her mother thought it better she train as a house servant. After her father's death, her brothers William and Alexander proposed she join them in Bath, England, and she left Hanover on 15 August 1772. In Bath she ran William's household, learned singing, English, arithmetic, and harpsichord, and became the principal singer at his oratorio concerts. She was offered an engagement for the Birmingham festival after a performance of Handel's Messiah in April 1778, where she was the first soloist, but declined to sing for any conductor but William.
Reader's Guide
Caroline Herschel's significance lies in her pioneering role as the first woman to be paid for scientific work and to hold a government position in England. She discovered several comets, including the periodic comet 35P/Herschel–Rigollet, and was the first woman to publish scientific findings in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. She was awarded a Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1828, and named an honorary Member of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1835 (with Mary Somerville). She was also named an honorary member of the Royal Irish Academy in 1838. On her 96th birthday in 1846, the King of Prussia presented her with a gold medal for Science. Her work as William's assistant included polishing mirrors, mounting telescopes, copying astronomical catalogues, recording and reducing observations, and sweeping the sky for nebulae and comets—a task she initially found isolating but gradually came to love. On 26 February 1783 she made her first discovery: a nebula not in the Messier catalogue, and that same night independently discovered Messier 110 (NGC 205), the second companion of the Andromeda Galaxy.
Did You Know?
- Caroline Herschel never grew taller than 4 feet 3 inches (1.30 m) after a severe case of typhus at age ten, and lost vision in her right eye from the same illness.
- She was the first woman to receive a salary as a scientist and the first woman in England to hold a government position.
- On 26 February 1783, she made her first discovery—a nebula not in the Messier catalogue—and independently discovered Messier 110 (NGC 205) that same night.
- She was the first woman to publish scientific findings in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society.
- The King of Prussia presented her with a gold medal for Science on her 96th birthday in 1846.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Caroline Herschel?
Caroline Lucretia Herschel was a German astronomer born in Hanover in 1750 who went on to become the first known professional female astronomer in recorded history. She is celebrated for identifying multiple comets and for earning a government salary as a scientist in England.
What comets did Caroline Herschel discover?
Caroline identified several comets over the course of her career, the most famous being the periodic comet now designated 35P/Herschel–Rigollet. Her careful nightly sky surveys made her one of the most prolific comet finders of her era.
Why is Caroline Herschel considered important in the history of science?
She was the first woman to receive a salary for scientific work and the first woman in England to hold a government position, both groundbreaking achievements in an era that largely excluded women from formal research. Her career proved that women could make first-rate contributions to astronomy.
How did Caroline Herschel work alongside her brother William?
Caroline served as William Herschel's dedicated assistant and collaborator for most of her professional life, helping him catalog stars and carry out observations. Their joint work in the late 18th and early 19th centuries produced some of the most important celestial surveys of the period.
When and where was Caroline Herschel born, and when did she die?
She was born on 16 March 1750 in Hanover, Germany, and died on 9 January 1848, living to the remarkable age of 97. Her career spanned both her native Germany and England, where she made her most widely recognized discoveries.
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