Caroline Herschel: An Excerpt from Women In Astronomy: Reaching for the Stars    by Mabel Armstrong.

 

   Caroline had other strikes against her. At age four, she had survived a bout with smallpox that left her face badly scarred. Then she contracted typhus. The disease limited her growth so that at fourteen, she stood just a bit over four feet tall. As a tiny, unattractive teenager, Caroline thought she probably wouldn’t ever marry. Her mother wouldn’t let her learn French or any other skill that would help her find work as a governess. Without a husband or some way to support herself, Caroline expected to spend her life working as an unpaid servant for her family.

Caroline Herschel’s father knew that looking directly at the Sun could damage his children’s eyes. In order for his children to see the eclipse without looking at the Sun, Isaac Herschel used a tub of water as a mirror. The family could watch the eclipse in reflection.

Using a pinhole camera is another way to watch an eclipse while protecting our eyes. And it is easier to handle than a tub of water. To make a pinhole camera, we’ll need a thin piece of cardboard, such as the one on the back of a writing tablet, and a sheet of white paper. First, we make a small hole in the center of the piece of cardboard with a large needle or a safety pin. We then hold the cardboard between the Sun and the sheet of white paper. The sun shines through the hole and onto the paper. Look for the image of the Sun on the paper. Then move the cardboard around until the image is clear.

We may see dark spots in the image of the Sun projected onto the piece of paper. Those are sunspots, places where solar flares are occurring. Pinhole cameras are useful for following sunspots as they move across the surface of the Sun as well as for watching eclipses.

 

   Even her affectionate father feared for her future. He told her it was unlikely any man would make her an offer of marriage. Perhaps, he added to soften the blow, later in her life some old man might take her for her good qualities. His words dismayed Caroline and made her long for financial independence. Then she wouldn’t need an old man for a husband. She could support herself.

   Actually, despite Mama’s efforts, Caroline was already a budding musician. Papa gave violin and horn lessons to a steady stream of students. And he often defied his wife and secretly included Caroline in the lessons. What Isaac didn’t teach her about music, Caroline absorbed just by living in a house where students were constantly practicing.

   Besides her loving father, the other bright spot in Caroline’s young life was her oldest brother, William. He shared Isaac Herschel’s love of music and enthusiasm for mathematics and astronomy. Papa and William’s excited conversations about science and math often lasted far into the night. Mama often yelled at them to quiet down because they were keeping the little ones awake.William had left for England in 1761, when Caroline was only seven years old. How she had missed him! And now he was home in time for a total eclipse of the Sun. Caroline stopped sweeping as she heard Papa calling the family into the courtyard. Once again she peeked out the window. Mama was there standing next to William. With a smile, Caroline put away her dusting rags and ran to join her family.

   Three years later, in 1767, Isaac Herschel died. Seventeen-year-old Caroline was devastated. With Papa gone and William in England, she had no emotional support left. And Mama was more difficult than ever. She seemed determined to stamp out any foolish notions Caroline might have developed from her father’s lessons. She ordered Caroline to work as a servant for her brother Jacob, who fancied himself a man about town. Caroline cooked, cleaned, and waited on Jacob and his friends. Sometimes Jacob beat her, calling her slow and clumsy. William, however, had other plans for his sister.

   As head musician for a large church in Bath, England, William knew many people in the musical community. He thought Caroline had a future as a professional singer. He wanted her to live with him and study music. For two years, William wrote to his mother trying to persuade her to let Caroline leave Germany. Finally, he agreed to send money home so his mother could hire a servant to replace Caroline. Anna then agreed to let her go. William came to Hanover in August, 1772, to take Caroline to England to live with him and another brother, Alexander.

   At twenty-two, Caroline arrived in Bath. She spoke no English and was almost as bewildered and scared as she was excited and happy. She was also determined to earn her own way. She did not want to be a financial burden on William, who had rescued her from a life of drudgery. She took over management of William’s household. It was a big job, but one for which she had lots of practice. She supervised a cook, a maid, and a gardener. She shopped daily for food. At first, shopping was an ordeal. The shopkeepers’ rapid English confused her. And she had trouble counting out change with the unfamiliar English coins. Months later, she discovered that her brother Alexander had followed her every day. He kept out of sight. He wanted to be nearby if shopkeepers tried to take advantage of her.

   Besides running the household, Caroline helped William with his musical work. She scheduled lessons, rehearsed the choir, and copied arrangements. She practiced piano and voice on her own. It was a busy life, but Caroline was happy, living in England with a much-loved brother and contributing to his success.

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Caroline Herschel: An Excerpt from Women In Astronomy: Reaching for the Stars    by Mabel Armstrong.