When is William Herschel's birthday?

William Herschel's birthday is November 15. He was born on November 15, 1738 in Hanover, Germany.

How old was William Herschel when he died?

William Herschel died on August 15, 1822, aged 83.

Who shares a birthday with William Herschel?

Famous people who share William Herschel's November 15 birthday include Gerhart Hauptmann, Erwin Rommel, Mahmoud Abbas, Georgia O'Keeffe and Nicholas V.

Science · Music · 1738–1822

William Herschel — Age, Birthday & Biography

Born: 15 November 1738 · Died: 15 August 1822 · Age: 83

German-born British astronomer and composer who discovered the planet Uranus in 1781 and detected infrared radiation

Did you know?Before becoming a world-renowned scientist, he worked as a professional musician and composed more than twenty symphonies.

Quick facts

Date of birth15 November 1738
Date of death15 August 1822
Age at death83
NationalityGerman-British
BirthplaceHanover, Germany
Occupationastronomer, composer, oboist

Editor's Take:

William Herschel discovered a new planet with a telescope he built himself. Born in Hanover, he moved to England as a young man and worked as a musician and composer in Bath. Astronomy became his passion. In 1781 he discovered Uranus, the first planet found since ancient times. King George III made him his astronomer. Working with his sister Caroline, he catalogued thousands of nebulae and star clusters. In 1800 he discovered infrared radiation. He also composed 24 symphonies.

Key Milestones

1781: Uranus – discovered
1782: King's Astronomer – appointed
1787: Moons of Uranus
1789: 40-foot telescope – built

Frederick William Herschel ( HUR-shəl; German: Friedrich Wilhelm Herschel; 15 November 1738 – 25 August 1822) was a German–British astronomer and composer. He frequently collaborated with his younger sister and fellow astronomer Caroline Herschel.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

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William Herschel: Discoverer of Uranus

German-British astronomer, 1738–1822

William Herschel was born in Hanover on 15 November 1738.

He worked as a musician in Bath.

He discovered Uranus in 1781.

He discovered infrared radiation in 1800.

Career highlights

1781Uranus: discovered
1782King's Astronomer: appointed
1787Moons: of Uranus
178940-foot telescope: built
1800Infrared: discovered

Did you know?He composed 24 symphonies.

Age at death: 83
Years since death: 204

Family

Father: Isaac Herschel
Mother: Anna Ilse Moritzen
Spouse: Mary Baldwin
Child: John Frederick William Herschel

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Frequently asked questions

When is William Herschel's birthday?: William Herschel's birthday is November 15. He was born on November 15, 1738 in Hanover, Germany.
How old was William Herschel when he died?: William Herschel died on August 15, 1822, aged 83.
Who shares a birthday with William Herschel?: Famous people who share William Herschel's November 15 birthday include Gerhart Hauptmann, Erwin Rommel, Mahmoud Abbas, Georgia O'Keeffe and Nicholas V.

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Quick facts

Editor's Take:

Key Milestones

William Herschel: Discoverer of Uranus

Family

Explore

Explore William Herschel's birthday

Frequently asked questions

Born on the same day6

Gerhart Hauptmann

Erwin Rommel

Mahmoud Abbas

Georgia O'Keeffe

Nicholas V

Ed Asner

Also Scorpio4

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Joe Biden

Pablo Picasso

Martin Luther

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