Michael Hoskin is fellow of Churchill College at the University of Cambridge, where he lectured in the history of astronomy from 1959 until his retirement in 1988, and founding editor of the Journal for the History of Astronomy. His books include The Herschel Partnership as Viewed by Caroline and The Cambridge Illustrated History of Astronomy.

List of Illustrations vii Preface ix The Herschel Family xiii Prologue ? August 1772: The Partnership Convenes 1 Chapter 1: 1707-1773: A Musician's Odyssey 6 Chapter 2: 1773-1778: Vocations in Conflict 28 Chapter 3: 1779-1781: An Enthusiasm Shared 44 Chapter 4: 1781-1782: Royal Patronage 57 Chapter 5: 1782-1783: "Astronomer to his Majesty" 69 Chapter 6: 1783-1785: The Construction of the Heavens 82 Chapter 7: 1782-1790: "One of the Greatest Mechanics of his Day" 108 Chapter 8: 1786-1788: "Gold Can Glitter as Well as the Stars" 129 Chapter 9: 1788-1798: "Noble and Worthy Priestess of the New Heavens" 138 Chapter 10: 1788-1810: "The Most Celebrated of All the Astronomers of the Universe" 146 Chapter 11 ? 1792-1822: The Torch is Handed On 158 Chapter 12 ? 1822-1833: John's "Sacred Duty" 186 Chapter 13 ? 1833-1848: "The Completion of My Father's Work" 197 Abbreviations 209 Notes 211 Bibliographic essay 223 Further Reading 225 Index 229

Discoverers of the Universe tells the gripping story of William Herschel, the brilliant, fiercely ambitious, emotionally complex musician and composer who became court astronomer to Britain's King George III, and of William's sister, Caroline, who assisted him in his observations of the night sky and became an accomplished astronomer in her own right. Together, they transformed our view of the universe from the unchanging, mechanical creation of Newton's clockmaker god to the ever-evolving, incredibly dynamic cosmos that it truly is. Written by the world's premier expert on the Herschels, Discoverers of the Universe traces William and Caroline's many extraordinary contributions to astronomy, shedding new light on their productive but complicated relationship, and setting their scientific achievements in the context of their personal struggles, larger-than-life ambitions, bitter disappointments, and astonishing triumphs.