Sweeping the Skies, More Than 200 Years Ago
2:32 minutes
Caroline Herschel was born 265 years ago this week, on March 16, 1750. Working alongside her brother Sir William Herschel, she made valuable contributions to astronomy, including observing and cataloging nebulae and discovering several comets. In 1787, King George III of England paid her a small salary as William’s assistant, leading some to call her the first paid female astronomer. Dean Regas of the Cincinnati Observatory describes her scientific legacy in this week’s One Last Thing.
Segment Guests
Dean Regas
Dean Regas is outreach astronomer at the Cincinnati Observatory and co-host of the PBS program Star Gazers in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Meet the Producer
About Charles Bergquist
@cbquistAs Science Friday’s director and senior producer, Charles Bergquist channels the chaos of a live production studio into something sounding like a radio program. Favorite topics include planetary sciences, chemistry, materials, and shiny things with blinking lights.