of its satellites. Five only of these were known at the close of the
seventeenth century; of which Cussiric discovered four, and Huygens one.
It was universally believed that the subject was exhausted.

But, on the 28th of August 1780, Herschel's colossal tube revealed to
his delighted gaze a satellite nearer to the Saturnian ring than those
previously observed. And a few days later, on the 17th of September, a
seventh and last satellite crossed his field of vision. It was situated
between the former and the ring; that is, it is the nearest to it of the
seven.

But the most remarkable of Herschel's achievements was the discovery of
the planet Uranus, and the detection of its satellites.

On the 13th of March 1781, between ten and eleven o'clock at night, the
great astronomer was engaged in examining the small stars near H in the
constellation Gemini, with a seven-foot telescope, bearing a magnifying
power of two hundred and twenty-seven times. It appeared to him that
one of these stars was of an unusual diameter; and he came to the
conclusion, therefore, that it was a comet. It was under this
denomination that it was discussed at the meeting of the Royal Society.
But the researches of Herschel at a later period showed that the orbit
of the new body was circular, and accordingly it was elevated to the
rank of a planet. As already stated, Herschel named it, in compliment to
George III., the Georgium Sidus; in this copying the example of Galileo
with his "Medicaean stars." Afterwards, astronomers christened it
Herschel, and subsequently Uranus, in conformity with the mythological
nomenclature of the other planets.

The immense distance of Uranus from our Earth, its small angular