In 1781 william herschel viewing the sky recognized that

THE OUTER PLANETS

THE DISCOVERY

In 1781 William Herschel while viewing the sky from his garden in Bath, England recognized that an object in the constellation of Gemini was moving against the background of stars. At first he thought he was looking at a new comet but upon further investigation realized that he was looking at a new planet.

Herschel named his discovery ‘the Georgian planet’ after his patron George III. Other names proposed included Herschel, Uranus or Hypercronius. Eventually Uranus became the universally accepted name.

By the early 19th century it became evident that the orbit of Uranus did not follow Newton’s law of Gravitation. Many astronomers began to question whether Newton’s theory of gravitation applied to an object so far from the sun. However two astronomers, John Couch Adams in England and Urbain Le Verrier in France, both independently came up with the theory that the orbit of Uranus had been disturbed by a more distant planet.
Working to Le Verrier’s calculations, astronomers at the Berlin observatory were able to identify this planet. They had discovered the eighth planet of the solar system, Neptune.

After the discovery of Neptune, astronomers started to look further into the depths of the solar system for a ninth planet.
In 1930, an American astronomer discovered the last of the known worlds of our solar system, Pluto.

Pluto is named after the god of the underworld, an apt name for a planet that orbits 5900 million kilometres from the sun.

THE THREE NEW WORLDS

Uranus is a bluish green gas giant. It takes 84 years to orbit the sun. Unlike all the other planets Uranus spins on its side. This means that the northern hemisphere of the planet sees the sun continually spinning round in the sky for over 40 years only to be plunged into darkness for 40 more. For the southern hemisphere the seasons are reversed.

Neptune is a blue (gas giant) planet of similar size to Uranus.
Its colour comes from the methane in its atmosphere. Methane absorbs the longer visible wavelengths (red and yellow) so the reflected sunlight appears blue.
Neptune has a very active atmosphere with high wind speeds that move around the planet faster than it rotates.

Pluto is a bit of a puzzle. All the inner planets are small rocky worlds. The outer planets are gas giants. However Pluto, the furthest of the planets from the sun is a small icy rock of a planet. It is almost a double planet system because it is orbited by a large moon, Charon. The discovery of the moon Charon weakened the theory that Pluto is an escaped moon of Neptune. It is now thought that Pluto came from a region of space debris left after the forming of the solar system called the Kuiper Belt.

OBSERVING THE PLANETS

Arm yourself with a finder chart (from a computer star chart or astronomy magazine) and a pair of binoculars and hopefully you will be able to find Uranus edging it’s way across the background of stars. For beginners this is quite a difficult task because the planet is usually not bright enough to be seen with the unaided eye.

Neptune is an even harder target to find than Uranus. Although it is roughly the same size as Uranus, Neptune is a lot further away and therefore appears a lot dimmer and smaller to us.

Pluto is only visible in the largest of telescopes and is beyond the reach of most amateur astronomers.

In 1781 william herschel viewing the sky recognized that

Задание №8762.
Чтение. ЕГЭ по английскому

Прочитайте текст и заполните пропуски A — F частями предложений, обозначенными цифрами 1 — 7. Одна из частей в списке 1—7 лишняя.

The discovery of three planets In 1781, William Herschel, viewing the sky, recognized that an object in the constellation of Gemini was moving against the background of stars. At first, he thought he was looking at a new comet, but upon further investigation realized ___ (A).

Herschel named his discovery ‘the Georgian planet’ after his patron, George III. Other names proposed included Herschel and Uranus. Eventually Uranus became the universally accepted name. Uranus is similar in composition to Neptune, and both ___ (B) larger gas giants Jupiter and Saturn.

In the 19th century it became evident that the orbit of Uranus did not follow Newton’s law of Gravitation. Many astronomers began to question whether Newton’s theory applied to an object so far from the sun. However, two astronomers, John Couch Adams in England and Urbain Le Verrier in France, both independently came up with the theory ___ (C) by a more distant planet.

Working to Le Verrier’s calculations, astronomers at the Berlin Observatory ___ (D). They had discovered the eighth planet of the solar system, Neptune. It was observed on 23 September 1846 by Johann Galle, and its largest moon, Triton, was discovered shortly thereafter, though none ___ (E) telescopically until the 20th century.

After the discovery of Neptune, astronomers ___ (F) the solar system for a ninth planet. In 1930, an American astronomer discovered the last of the known worlds of our solar system, Pluto.

1. of them realized
2. were able to identify this planet
3. that he was looking at a new planet
4. that the orbit of Uranus had been disturbed
5. started to look further into the depths of
6. are of different chemical composition than the
7. of the planet’s remaining 12 moons were located

Решение:
Пропуску A соответствует часть текста под номером 3.
Пропуску B соответствует часть текста под номером 6.
Пропуску C соответствует часть текста под номером 4.
Пропуску D соответствует часть текста под номером 2.
Пропуску E соответствует часть текста под номером 7.
Пропуску F соответствует часть текста под номером 5.

Показать ответ
364275

Источник: ФИПИ. Открытый банк тестовых заданий
Сообщить об ошибке

Введите ответ в поле ввода

Прочитайте текст и заполните пропуски A – F частями предложений, обозначенными цифрами 1–7. Одна из частей в списке 1–7 лишняя. Занесите цифры, обозначающие соответствующие части предложений, в таблицу.

The discovery of three planets

In 1781, William Herschel, viewing the sky, recognized that an object in the constellation of Gemini was moving against the background of stars. At first, he thought he was looking at a new comet, but upon further investigation realized A _____________________.

Herschel named his discovery ‘the Georgian planet’ after his patron,
George III. Other names proposed included Herschel and Uranus. Eventually Uranus became the universally accepted name. Uranus is similar in composition to Neptune, and both B _____________________ larger gas giants Jupiter and Saturn.

In the 19th century it became evident that the orbit of Uranus did not follow Newton’s law of Gravitation. Many astronomers began to question whether Newton’s theory applied to an object so far from the sun. However, two astronomers, John Couch Adams in England and Urbain Le Verrier in France, both independently came up with the theory C _____________________ by a more distant planet.

Working to Le Verrier’s calculations, astronomers at the Berlin Observatory D _____________________. They had discovered the eighth planet of the solar system, Neptune. It was observed on 23 September 1846 by Johann Galle, and its largest moon, Triton, was discovered shortly thereafter, though none E _____________________ telescopically until the 20th century.

After the discovery of Neptune, astronomers F _____________________ the solar system for a ninth planet. In 1930, an American astronomer discovered the last of the known worlds of our solar system, Pluto.

of them realized

were able to identify this planet

that the orbit of Uranus had been disturbed

started to look further into the depths of

are of different chemical composition than the

of the planet’s remaining 12 moons were located

ЕГЭ: Задание 73 на текст и выбор ответов на вопросы к тексту

Прочитайте текст и выберите правильные ответы к данным ниже вопросам. Проверьте себя по ключу.

The discovery of Uranus

Someone once put forward an attractive theory. Throughout the Earth’s annual revolution around the sun there is one point of space always hidden from our eyes. This point is the opposite part of the Earth’s orbit, which is always hidden by the sun. Could there be another planet there, essentially similar to our own, but always invisible? If a space probe today sent back evidence that such a world existed it would cause not much more sensation than Sir William Herschel’s discovery of a new planet, Uranus, in 1781.

Herschel was an extraordinary man – no other astronomer has ever covered so vast a field of work – and his career deserves study. He was bom in Hanover in Germany in 1738, left the German army in 1757, and arrived in England the same year with no money but quite exceptional music ability. He played the violin and oboe and at one time was organist in the Octagon Chapel in the city of Bath. Herschel’s was an active mind, and deep inside he was conscious that music was not his destiny; he therefore read widely in science and the arts, but not until 1772 did he come across a book on astronomy. He was then 34, middle-aged by the standards of the time, but without hesitation he embarked on his new career, financing it by his professional work as a musician. He spent years mastering the art of telescope construction, and even by present-day standards his instruments are comparable with the best.

Serious observation began in 1774. He set himself the astonishing task of‘reviewing the heavens’, in other words, pointing his telescope to every accessible part of the sky and recording what he saw. The first review was made in 1775; the second, and most momentous, in 1780-81. It was during the latter part of this that he discovered Uranus. Afterwards, supported by the royal grant in recognition of his work, he was able to devote himself entirely to astronomy.

Papers flooded from HerscheFs pen and among these there was one sent to the Royal Society in 1781, entitled An Account of a Comet. In his own words, on Tuesday the 13th of March, between ten and eleven in the evening, while he was examining the small stars in the neighbourhood of H Geminorum, he perceived one that appeared visibly larger than the rest; he suspected it to be a comet.

Herschel’s care was the hallmark of a great observer; he wasn’t prepared to jump to any conclusions. Also, to be fair, the discovery of a new planet was the last thought in anybody’s mind. But further observation by other astronomers besides Herschel revealed two curious facts. For a comet, it showed a remarkably sharp disc; furthermore, it was moving so slowly that it was thought to be a great distance from the sun, and comets are only normally visible in the immediate vicinity of the sun. As its orbit came to be worked out the truth dawned that it was a new planet far beyond Saturn’s realm, and that the ‘reviewer of the heavens’ had stumbled across an unprecedented prize. Hcrschel wanted to call it georgium sidus (Star of George) in honour of his royal patron King George 111 of Great Britain. The planet was later for a time called Herschel in honour of its discoverer. The name Uranus, which was first proposed by the German astronomer Johann Elert Bode, was in use by the late 19th century.

Uranus is a giant in construction. Uranus’ atmosphere consists largely of hydrogen and helium, with a trace of methane. In 1977, the American astronomer James L. Elliot discovered the presence of five rings encircling the equator of Uranus, four more rings were discovered in January 1986 during the exploratory flight of Voyager In addition to its rings, Uranus has 15 satellites (‘moons’), the last 10 discovered by Voyager 2 on the same flight; all revolve about its equator and move with the planet in an east-west direction. The two largest moons, Titania and Oberon, were discovered by Herschel in 1787. The next two, Umbriel and Ariel, were found in 1851 by the British astronomer William Lassell. Miranda was discovered in 1948 by the American astronomer Gerard Peter Kuiper.

1. According to the first paragraph the discovery of a new planet hidden from our eyes
1) is a matter of fact.
2) would not be more sensational than the discovery of Uranus.
3) is quite probable.
4) needs some time to prove.

2. Herschel thought of himself as
1) an amateur musician.
2) a scientific mind.
3) a professional astronomer.
4) a person devoted to the arts and music.

3. Herschel discovered Uranus
1) during his second observation.
2) during his first review.
3) after many years of observing the sky.
4) when he was 34.

4. When Herschel saw a new ‘star’ he
1) immediately wrote to other astronomers.
2) thought of it as a comet.
3) knew that was a new planet.
4) made an immediate conclusion.

5. “The ‘reviewer of the heavens’ had stumbled across an unprecedented prize” means that Herschel
1) was offered a high position at the Royal Society.
2) accidentally discovered a planet.
3) was given an honor to name the new planet.
4) had anticipated the discovery of a new planet before.

6. The new planet was called Uranus by
1) other astronomers of the Royal Society.
2) King George III of Great Britain.
3) Johann Elert Bode.
4) Herschel himself.

7. Uranus’s two largest moons were discovered by
1) William Lassell.
2) Gerard Peter Kuiper.
3) Herschel.
4) Voyager 2.

ВОПРОС 1 – 2
ВОПРОС 2 – 2
ВОПРОС 3 – 1
ВОПРОС 4 – 2
ВОПРОС 5 – 2
ВОПРОС 6 – 3
ВОПРОС 7 – 3

Who Discovered Uranus?

If you’ve got really good eyesight and can find a place where the light pollution is non-existent, you might be able to see Uranus without a telescope. It’s only possible with the right conditions, and if you know exactly where to look. And for thousands of years, scholars and astronomers were doing just that. But given that it was just a tiny pinprick of light, they believed Uranus was a star.

It was not until the late 18th century that the first recorded observation that recognized Uranus as being a planet took place. This occurred on March 13th, 1781, when British astronomer Sir William Herschel observed the planet using a telescope of his own creation. From this point onwards, Uranus would be recognized as the seventh planet and the third gas giant of the Solar System.

Observations pre-18th Century:

The first recorded instance of Uranus being spotted in the night sky is believed to date back to Classical Antiquity. During the 2nd century BCE, Hipparchos – the Greek astronomer, mathematician and founder of trigonometry – apparently recorded the planet as a star in his star catalogue (completed in 129 BCE).

Remove All Ads on Universe Today

Get the ad-free experience for life

This catalog was later incorporated into Ptolemy’s Almagest, which became the definitive source for Islamic astronomers and for scholars in Medieval Europe for over one-thousand years. During the 17th and 18th centuries, multiple recorded sightings were made by astronomers who also catalogued it as being a star.

This included English astronomer John Flamsteed, who in 1690 observed the star on six occasions and catalogued it as a star in the Taurus constellation (34 Tauri). During the mid-18th century, French astronomer Pierre Lemonnier made twelve recorded sightings, and also recorded it as being a star. It was not until March 13th, 1781, when William Herschel observed it from his garden house in Bath, that Uranus’ true nature began to be revealed.

Hershel’s Discovery:

On the evening in question – March 13th, 1781 – William Herschel was surveying the sky with his telescope, looking for binary stars. His first report on the object was recorded on April 26th, 1781. Initially, he described it as being a “Nebulous star or perhaps a comet”, but later settled on it being a comet since it appeared to have changed its position in the sky.

When he presented his discovery to the Royal Society, he maintained this theory, but also likened it to a planet. As was recorded in the Journal of the Royal Society and Royal Astronomical Society on the occasion of his presentation:

“The power I had on when I first saw the comet was 227. From experience I know that the diameters of the fixed stars are not proportionally magnified with higher powers, as planets are; therefore I now put the powers at 460 and 932, and found that the diameter of the comet increased in proportion to the power, as it ought to be, on the supposition of its not being a fixed star, while the diameters of the stars to which I compared it were not increased in the same ratio. Moreover, the comet being magnified much beyond what its light would admit of, appeared hazy and ill-defined with these great powers, while the stars preserved that lustre and distinctness which from many thousand observations I knew they would retain. The sequel has shown that my surmises were well-founded, this proving to be the Comet we have lately observed.”

While Herschel would continue to maintain that what he observed was a comet, his “discovery” stimulated debate in the astronomical community about what Uranus was. In time, astronomers like Johann Elert Bode would conclude that it was a planet, based on its nearly-circular orbit. By 1783, Herschel himself acknowledged that it was a planet to the Royal Society.

Naming:

As he lived in England, Herschel originally wanted to name Uranus after his patron, King George III. Specifically, he wanted to call it Georgium Sidus (Latin for “George’s Star”), or the Georgian Planet. Although this was a popular name in Britain, the international astronomy community didn’t think much of it, and wanted to follow the historical precedent of naming the planets after ancient Greek and Roman gods.

Large floor mosaic from a Roman villa in Sassoferrato, Italy (ca. 200–250 CE). Aion (Uranus), the god of eternity, stands above Tellus (Gaia) and her four children (the seasons). Credit: Wikipedia Commons/Bibi Saint-Poi

Consistent with this, Bode proposed the name Uranus in a 1782 treatise. The Latin form of Ouranos, Uranus was the grandfather of Zeus (Jupiter in the Roman pantheon), the father of Cronos (Saturn), and the king of the Titans in Greek mythology. As it was discovered beyond the orbits of Jupiter and Saturn, the name seemed highly appropriate.

In the following century, Neptune would be discovered, the last of the eight official planets that are currently recognized by the IAU. And by the 20th century, astronomers would discovery Pluto and other minor planets within the Kuiper Belt. The process of discovery has been ongoing, and will likely continue for some time to come.

Here’s an article from the Hubble educational site about the discovery of Uranus, and here’s the NASA Solar System Exploration page on Uranus.

We have recorded an episode of Astronomy Cast just about Uranus. You can access it here: Episode 62: Uranus.