Caroline’s Comets
In Caroline’s Comets, Caroline Herschel (1750-1848) becomes the first woman professional scientist and one of the greatest astronomers who ever lived.
Born the youngest daughter of a poor family in Hanover, Germany, Caroline was scarred from smallpox, stunted from typhus, and used by her parents as a scullery maid. But when her favorite brother, William, left for England, he took her with him. The siblings shared a passion for stars, and together they built the greatest telescope of their age, working tirelessly on star charts.
Using their telescope, Caroline discovered fourteen nebulae and two galaxies. She the first woman to discover a comet. She also became the first woman officially employed as a scientist – by no less than the King of England. Space agencies still use the information from the Herschels’ star catalogs today.
- The book includes excerpts from Caroline Herschel’s autobiography.
