in
Science & Nature
—
Georgium Sidus: The Planet We Almost Called 'George'
In 1781, discoverer William Herschel tried to name the seventh planet 'Georgium Sidus' (George's Star) after King George III. The name proved unpopular outside of Britain, and German astronomer Johann Bode's mythological suggestion, 'Uranus,' ultimately prevailed after decades of debate.
On the night of March 13, 1781, astronomer William Herschel was peering through his custom-built telescope in Bath, England, when he spotted something peculiar. It was a faint, disc-like object moving slowly against the background of stars. Initially believing it to be a comet, further observation by him and other astronomers revealed the truth: Herschel had discovered the first planet since antiquity. The solar system, as humanity knew it, had just doubled in size.
A Planet Named George?
With this monumental discovery came a singular privilege: the right to name it. Bucking thousands of years of mythological tradition where planets were named for Roman deities, Herschel decided to honor his patron, King George III. His proposed name was Georgium Sidus, or “George’s Star.” In a formal address to the Royal Society, Herschel explained his reasoning:
In the fabulous ages of ancient times the appellations of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn were given to the Planets, as being the names of their principal heroes and divinities. In the present more philosophical era, it would hardly be allowable to have recourse to the same method and call on Juno, Pallas, Apollo or Minerva, for a name to our new heavenly body... I cannot but wish to take this opportunity of testifying my sense of gratitude, by giving the name of Georgium Sidus ... to a star which (with respect to us) first began to shine under His auspicious reign.
The name was a hit in England, where patriotism swelled around the discovery. However, the international scientific community was less than thrilled. Naming a celestial body after a sitting monarch felt overtly political, especially given that King George III had just lost the American colonies. Science was meant to be universal, not nationalistic. French astronomers, for example, opted to call the planet “Herschel” in honor of its discoverer, a far more neutral choice.
A Return to Mythological Tradition
The solution came from German astronomer Johann Elert Bode. A champion of order, Bode argued that the new planet’s name should follow the classical pattern already established. Mars is next to Jupiter, who in Roman mythology was the son of Saturn. The new planet was next to Saturn, so it should logically be named for Saturn’s father. In the Greco-Roman pantheon, the father of Saturn (Cronus) is Uranus, the primordial Greek god of the sky.
Bode's suggestion was elegant, logical, and politically neutral. It honored the ancient traditions of astronomy while perfectly extending the known celestial family tree. While the name “Herschel” had some support, “Uranus” quickly gained favor across Europe.
A Name Decades in the Making
Despite its international appeal, the name change wasn't immediate. For nearly 70 years, British astronomers and nautical almanacs stubbornly referred to the planet as Georgium Sidus. It wasn't until 1850 that the United Kingdom's HM Nautical Almanac Office finally switched to “Uranus,” officially ending the debate. Today, it’s hard to imagine a planet named “George” sitting among Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Thanks to Johann Bode and the international call for a universal perspective, we have a name that connects our modern understanding of the cosmos with its mythological past—even if it has become the subject of endless schoolyard jokes.