This letter and its attachment were written by William Herschel, one of the most important innovators of the eighteenth century. George III’s patronage of Herschel resulted in vital contributions to scientific developments of the age. A keen astronomer himself, George III financially supported Herschel to build what was then the largest telescope in the world just outside of Windsor. George showed a keen interest in the project, visiting during its building and once it was completed.

In 1781, Herschel’s study of the heavens resulted in the discovery of a new planet. This discovery completely overthrew existing opinion about the Solar System, which held that it consisted of the Sun and the six planets that could be seen by the naked eye. In this letter to Sir Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society, Herschel calls this new planet ‘the Georgian Planet’: it is now more familiarly known as Uranus.