Born on March 13
Discovery of Uranus
A new planet, from a back garden.
Next: March 13, 2027
Where it comes from
This Story marks the anniversary of 13 March 1781. Slightly before midnight, in his back garden in Bath, the German-born musician and astronomer William Herschel saw a strange object through a telescope he had built himself.
How it's celebrated
There is no formal observance. The Herschel Museum of Astronomy in Bath shows a replica of the telescope he used, and the Royal Society keeps his handwritten account of the night.
Did you know
Herschel named the planet Georgium Sidus, 'George's Star', after King George III; astronomers abroad preferred Uranus.
Read the full story of Discovery of Uranus
Star sign
Pisces · February 19 – March 20 · Water sign
Dreamy and kind, with an artist's imagination.