Happy anniversary to Uranus! On this day, 238 years ago, the planet was discovered by German-born astronomer William Herschel.
Here’s some trivia on the seventh planet from the sun:
Uranus is four times larger than Earth. It lacks a true surface, and is made up of swirling icy fluids such as water, methane and ammonia. The planet was actually not named by its founder, but instead by astronomer Johann Bode.
If Herschel had had his way, the planet would have been named after King George III, which would have spared poor Uranus from becoming the butt (snicker!) of so many juvenile jokes.
In other news, a new grassroots coalition wants business tax breaks to benefit the community, and Chattanooga City Council is feeling the pressure.
So, apparently when you stay in Room 311 at the Read House in downtown Chattanooga, it’s almost required that you try to contact the ghost of Annalisa Netherly.
Who do you think you are? Writer Dana Shavin explores the often-rhetorical question.