Michael Hoskin

Keynote Lecture

Abstract

William Herschel’s Wonderful Decade, 1781–1790

William Herschel was a professional musician for fully half his life, and wished to be remembered as a composer. His achievements in astronomy — as telescope builder, observer, and theoretician — that are recognised by the naming of the current Herschel Space Telescope belong mainly to a single mirabilis decas, and this I discuss.

Biographical Details

Michael Hoskin lectured in history of astronomy at Cambridge University from 1959 until his retirement in 1988. He founded the Journal for the History of Astronomy in 1970 ( it is now in its 41st year) and is still the editor. He is a Fellow of Churchill College Cambridge, emeritus Fellow of St Edmund’s College Cambridge, Honorary Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, and holds medals of the American Astronomical Society and the European Society for Astronomy in Culture. The International Astronomical Union have named an asteroid Minor Planet Hoskin, and the authorities at the archaeological site at Antequera, Spain, have named a building Centro Solar Michael Hoskin. He is the author of four books and numerous articles on the Herschels, and his new book, Discoverers of the Universe: William and Caroline Herschel, will be published by Princeton in January.