Flamsteed AS Andy Burns Herschels

Flamsteed Astronomy Society

The incredible Herschel family

— Andy Burns, March 3, 2008

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John formed the Analytical Society, trained as a lawyer, became a brilliant linguist and was also an accomplished artist, producing innumerable drawings of his Grand Tours which are lodged in the Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. He also became an acknowledged Botanist, allegedly to amuse his wife, but of sufficient renown to have materially influenced Darwin in the preparation of his treatise on the Origin of Species.

Eventually, after a family showdown when John determined to enter the priesthood, William persuaded him instead to embrace Astronomy as his apprentice which he proceeded to do with a vengeance.

The list of John’s achievements and discoveries in Astronomy alone would, and no doubt do, fill volumes but a few highlights would include expanding the double star catalogue with 10,000 prefixed ‘h’; adding 2,800 objects to the General Catalogue; discovery of two satellites of Saturn; discovery of Infra-Red radiation; the accurate calculation of the heights of Lunar mountains; the discovery of planetary nebulae and of Variable stars e.g. Alpha Herculis. The list of John’s achievements is almost limitless and he truly was an incredible individual who was duly rewarded with a Baronetcy at the time of Queen Victoria’s coronation.

Not satisfied with such widespread academic brilliance, John somehow found time to sire no less than twelve children, many of whom were themselves distinguished in a variety of spheres. Alexander seems to have been alone in espousing Astronomy, among other interests, where he linked meteor showers to the orbits of cometary debris.

Andy’s principal interest remains the Herschel Museum in Bath which is the only permanent tribute to this astonishing family and which was set up at 19 New King Street, Bath in 1981, two hundred years after the planet Uranus was first discovered from the garden of this house. It is a private Trust, enjoying some support from the Bath Preservation Trust but, perhaps predictably, none whatever from Local or Central government. It undertakes Astronomy outreach education both within the Museum and externally, utilising the Faulkes Remote Telescope situated on Hawaii.

The Museum contains countless items of memorabilia from the Herschel’s works, among which are numerous examples of their own manufactured mirrors and some items rescued from Observatory House at Slough before it was demolished. I for one will not visit Bath without sparing time to give the Herschel Museum a look in and a modest donation.

It was a fascinating talk by an enthusiastic expert completely at one with his subject and who, I am sure, delivered a very enlightening revelation to many myself included who, presented with ‘Herschel’, thought only of William and were largely in ignorance of the remainder of this extraordinary family. That so much diverse talent should be vested in so narrow a gene pool is indeed truly awesome.

Effusive thanks were expressed to Andy Burns by Lin Potter on behalf of the Society and he was encouraged to come back to see us again soon and – to tell us more!

Roger Geeson.

Herschel Museum Bath

John Herschel