Herschel observes . . .
Herschel observes boats on the Kiel Canal
Herschel is the Hebrew name for deer. It is also a German name deriving from Heinrich, which means ‘home ruler.’
We gave Herschel his name because we live not far from Slough, where Sir William Herschel, an Anglo-German astronomer, died in 1822. He was the first person to discover a new planet while using a telescope. He wanted to call it Georgium Sidus, meaning George’s Star, or the Georgian Planet, to honour the reigning King George III.
However, the German astronomer Johann Elert Bode, proposed that it should be named after one of the classical deities, in the traditional manner. He suggested Uranus and this was ultimately accepted, almost seventy years later.
Sir John Herschel, William’s son, was born in Slough in 1792, and was a polymath. His interests encompassed mathematics, chemistry, astronomy, photography, and botany. He invented the blueprint and researched colour blindness, and named seven moons of Saturn and four moons of Uranus.
One of John’s sons, Sir William James Herschel, also born in Slough, was the first man to realise the importance of fingerprints in identification. Throughout his lifetime, he recorded his own fingerprints, to prove their unique and unchanging nature.
Interesting about the name and the information especially the fingerprints in identification.
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ReplyDeleteA deer in Hebrew is a Tzvi, a first name also given to newborn baby boys.
DeleteHersch is Yiddish for a deer and the suffix makes it more familial and child-friendly. My late father in law was called Hersch but in Australia the neighbours called him Harry :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a remarkable family the Herschels were.
There is a reasonably well known owner of one or more retail clothing shops named Herschel, but I don't like him very much. Clearly the English Herschels were high achievers.
ReplyDeleteAs for Bode's naming of a planet, many smutty school boys thank him.
I did wonder about your Herschel's name.
ReplyDeleteSo, Slough is actually important after all!
Almost seventy years to accept the naming of a planet? And in tht time no one thought of the "smutty schoolboy" jokes that would come with or from such a name?
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