What name was initially proposed for Uranus by Sir William Herschel?
Answer
Georgium Sidus (George's Star)
Upon the discovery of the seventh planet in 1781 by Sir William Herschel, there was an immediate push to name it. Initially, Herschel proposed the name *Georgium Sidus*, which translates to 'George's Star,' intended as an honorific for the reigning monarch, King George III. However, this name was met with resistance outside of England. The astronomical community ultimately favored adopting Uranus to maintain the established mythological continuity linking celestial bodies to Greco-Roman deities, thereby honoring Ouranos, the Greek personification of the sky, rather than basing the name on contemporary political figures.
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