Tag Archives: astronomers

March 26, 1859

Posted on March 26, 2019 by Joel Byers

On March 26, 1859, amateur French astronomer, Edmond Modeste Lescarbault, discovered the planet Vulcan, which was believed to orbit inside the orbit of Mercury, which until that point in time was believed to be the closest planet to the Sun. Mercury had a little wobble in its orbit that under Newtonian rules of planetary understanding, … Continue reading →

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September 23, 1846

Posted on September 23, 2014 by Joel Byers

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 … Continue reading →

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August 25, 1835

Posted on August 25, 2014 by Joel Byers

On This Date in TWISTED-HISTORY.com in 1835 the N.Y. Sun published the Moon Hoax story and attributed the discoveries of man-bats, buildings, roads, and canals on the Moon to real astronomer John Herschel. John Herschel was not amused, nor was Edgar Allen Poe, who’s own Moon Hoax story was published two months early and received … Continue reading →

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March 13, 1781

Posted on March 13, 2014 by Joel Byers

On This Date in TWISTED-HISTORY.com! in 1781 Sir William Herschel discovered the planet Uranus. When his sister and fellow astronomer Caroline Herschel pointed out how people were going to pronounce Uranus and the jokes that were going to be made, William flew into a rage and said “No one of any breeding would EVER pronounce … Continue reading →

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