From Music to the Stars: The Inspiring Journey of William Herschel

I’m inspired by the story of William Herschel in The Age of Wonder. He was an accomplished musician living in 18th-century England. Originally an immigrant from Hanover, he arrived penniless. Yet over time, he established himself as a respected musician and even secured an important position in the field.

But do you know what he’s now remembered for? Surprisingly, not for his music. Instead, he’s renowned as the astronomer who discovered Uranus—the first planet ever identified with a telescope. Yes, he went from being a musician—of all things—to becoming a trailblazing figure in astronomy. Talk about having a wide-ranging curiosity!

It all started as a hobby. After his musical work—teaching and performing—he would spend his nights immersed in astronomy books. His sister even remarked that “he slept buried under his favorite authors,” referring to those very books. And this wasn’t just casual reading; he deliberately made the effort to absorb knowledge in the field. He studied important astronomy books, including technical ones like astronomical tables, and even attended lectures on the subject.

Over time, simply reading about the planets and stars wasn’t enough for him. He wanted to observe them firsthand. However, the commonly used refracting telescopes of the time weren’t powerful enough. A more advanced option, the reflecting telescope, had been built by Isaac Newton, but it was small, with a magnification of only 40 times.

Herschel set his sights on building a larger reflecting telescope. But there was a major obstacle: it required a special mirror that wasn’t available anywhere. He reached out to optical manufacturers in London, only to be told that such a mirror simply wasn’t produced.

So what did he do? He decided to make it himself! And this wasn’t just any ordinary mirror—it had to be precisely concave to function for astronomical observations. He gathered the necessary tools, but there was one particularly grueling part of the process: polishing the mirror by hand.

The work was exhausting. He had to stand for hours—sometimes eight, even up to sixteen—polishing without stopping. Once he started, he couldn’t take a break, so his sister had to feed him by hand while he worked. Talk about dedication!

It was a high price to pay, but he paid it. All while still making a living as a musician. Eventually, he succeeded in building the most powerful telescope of its time.

With that telescope, he made groundbreaking observations—including the discovery of Uranus in 1781, expanding the known boundaries of our solar system for the first time in modern history. And because of his extensive reading, he wasn’t just passively observing—he understood the current theories and could question them, contributing original ideas to the field.

Here are some lessons I learned from Herschel’s story:

• Have a growth mindset – Just because you’re trained in one field doesn’t mean you can’t excel in another. With a growth mindset, you can develop expertise in unexpected areas.
• Self-education is key – Herschel didn’t just dabble in astronomy; he educated himself. He read relentlessly, even falling asleep with books in hand, which gave him the technical knowledge to contribute meaningfully.
• Dream big – His reading didn’t just give him knowledge; it fueled his dream of observing the stars firsthand.
• Dedication matters – Knowledge alone isn’t enough. Making a real impact requires paying the price, sometimes a steep one. Herschel’s passion for astronomy drove him to endure immense hardship, including standing for hours polishing his mirror.

His story is truly inspiring. It reminds me that we all have great potential—but unlocking it takes effort, and motivation plays a key role in making it happen.