And
so it happened that my brother William was obliged to make
trial of my abilities in copying for him catalogues, tables,
&c, and sometimes whole papers which were lent [to] him for his
perusal. Among them was one by Mr. Michel, and a catalogue of
Christian Mayer in Latin, which kept me employed when my
brother was at the telescope at night. When I found that a hand
was sometimes wanted when any particular measures were to be
made with the lamp micrometer, or a fire to be kept up, or a
dish of coffee necessary during a night's long watching, I
undertook with pleasure what others might have thought a
hardship."
The astronomer-musician's patient survey of the heavens was rewarded,
on the 13th of March 1781, by the discovery of a new planet, situated
on the borders of our Solar System. In every way this was a discovery
of signal importance. It broke up the traditional conservatism of
astronomers, which had almost refused to regard as possible the
existence of any planets beyond the orbit of Saturn, because for so
many years none had revealed themselves to the watchful gaze.
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