September 23, 1846

On This Date in TWISTED-HISTORY.com in 1846 astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle discovered the planet Neptune. When asked the press of the day asked him why he named it after the Roman god of the seas, Galle stated that his first choice would have actually been Uranus, the Greek god of the Sky, but his wife frowned at him and asked, “Do you really want a bunch of adolescent British schoolboy hooligans snickering every time they have to pronounce your planet?” Galle admitted that would be undesirable and asked her what she thought of ‘Heidi’, and she replied, “As the name of a planet or what I think of the barmaid of the pub you frequent way too much. You know, the barmaid who can’t afford to buy a blouse that fully covers her chest?” Galle them quickly asked his wife, who was standing in the kitchen sharpening a very large knife, “What do you think of Neptune?” She put the knife down and nodded as she thought and spoke, “Excellent choice.” And the rest was Twisted-History.

About Joel Byers

Born in North Georgia and educated at some very fine public institutions. Real education started after graduating from college and then getting married and raising two boys. Has the ability to see the funny and absurd in most things and will always remark on it, even if it means getting the stink-eye from his victims.
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