Uranus was discovered by accident in 1781. Sir William Herschel was looking through a his telescope when he noticed what he thought was a star. Herschel studied it for several nights, and noticed that the object was moving. He then thought that it might be a comet. Other astronomers began studying this "comet", and finally concluded that it was a planet because of its circular orbit. Herschel wanted to name it the "Georgian Star" while others wanted to call it "Herschel". The name Uranus, which eventually stuck, was given to it by German astronomer Johann Bode.