Caroline Herschel

Overview

Caroline Lucretia Herschel was born in Hanover, Germany, on 16 March 1750. She often collaborated with her brother Sir Friedrich Wilhelm Herschel. Due to a severe case of typhus at the age of ten, Caroline never grew past the height of four foot three. Due to this perceived physical deformity, her parents assumed Caroline would never marry or otherwise succeed beyond being a house servant. When her brother Wilhelm started working in the areas of Astronomy, both he and his Caroline discovered that she also had a knack for polishing mirrors and mounting telescopes. Her brother had struggled with this aspect of astronomy and so his sisters aid was depended upon regularly.  
 
With time, Caroline also begun to get more hands on herself, learning how to copy astronomical catalogues, record, reduce, and organize her brothers astronomical observations, and with time, and her brothers support and goading she eventually begun to make her own astronomical observations. This decision and act, having a significant impact on Caroline's life, as now she started to succeed in ways neither her, nor her parents ever thought possible. Caroline discovering many comets, many named in her honor or after her in someway. Caroline Herschel also went on to become the first woman of this era to receive a salary for her work towards science and astronomy. Caroline eventually was rewarded with various honors and achievements. Including have a crater on the moon named after her, and gold medals from the King of Prussia, the Astronomical Society of London. Caroline Herschel lived to be ninety-eight years old. She never did end up marrying, but her long life and hard work inspired many. She was elected an Honorary member of  Royal Astronomical Society.