William Herschel's Discovery Of Uranus
Though William Herschel did not seek Uranus out directly, his observations provided a new perspective and allowed Uranus to take its rightful place among the other planets of our solar system. The same can be said of James Elliot, Edward Dunham, and Jessica Mink, who discovered Uranus' rings. In both cases, we have individuals seeking data to further enhance our understanding of the universe and its mechanics. Though they may have been focused on a particular task at the time, to suggest that their discoveries were mere accidents would be diminishing to the overall goal of science.
Though many had seen Uranus before, none of them had noticed its contrasting movement from other distant stars. Even when William Herschel noticed its