Fact of the Day: 23/09/2021
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune (discovered last), and Georgium Sidus…?
Did you know there was a time when the planet Uranus wasn’t named Uranus? William Herschel discovered the celestial body in 1781. Originally thinking it to be a star or comet, he named the planet after King George III, his patron. (The name Georgium Sidus literally means “George’s star.”) However, as we know, the name didn’t catch on. Johann Bode, who helped establish the celestial body as a planet, later suggested the name “Uranus,” which became the planet’s official title. Still, Uranus’s name sets it apart from the other seven planets in our solar system: it is the only planet named after a Greek god instead of a Roman one.
Reference(s):
- https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/uranus/in-depth/
- https://www.space.com/18704-who-discovered-uranus.html
Fact Author: Ace
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