Johann Alexander Herschel

Johann Alexander Herschel (13 November 1745 – 16 March 1821) was a German musician and mechanical craftsman whose significant contribution to astronomy was fabricating high quality reflecting telescopes of the period with his siblings. He was the brother of Caroline Lucretia Herchel and Frederick William Herschel.

Alexander's contribution to musical performance in Bath, Somerset between 1770 and 1846 is his most notable achievement. Upon Alexander's departure from Bath in 1816, the Bath Chronicle stated that it was “the intention of the musical professors of Bath to pay a gratuitous tribute to the talents, character, age and virtues of Mr Herschel of this city, who has been their co-adjudicator in the orchestra on the violoncello for the last 45 years… “

Alexander's nephew, John Herschel, later had a son called Alexander Stewart Herschel who was an astronomer.

Early life Johann Alexander Herschel was born in the town of Hanover, Germany on 13 November 1745. One of ten children, his parents were Isaac Herschel (1707–1767), a self-taught oboist and bandmaster in the Hanoverian Guards, and his wife, Anna Ilse Moritzen (1710–1789).

Alexander left school in Hanover at the age of 12 years to become a musical apprentice to Heinrich Griesbach, the husband of Isaac's eldest daughter Sophia. He completed his apprenticeship in 1764 aged 18 years and returned to Hanover to board with city musicians and take up the position of ‘Stadt-Musicus’ or ‘Town Musician’ playing violin. for Caroline for astronomical observations. She called it the Monkey Clock and she used it when sweeping for comets to allow accurate recording of observation time.

Later life Following a "severe accident", Alexander returned to his hometown of Hanover in August 1816. The nature of the "severe accident" is not known. He took with him his own Gregorian telescope and two 9-inch mirrors. He died on 16 March 1821.

There are no portraits of Alexander, no scientific discoveries attributed to him, and no musical compositions bearing his name. His contributions to his siblings’ achievements are documented in their surviving writings.