Brought up as a musician and entered the band of the Hanoverian Guards as an oboist. He technically deserted from his regiment and went to London. Later appointed organist at Helifax and 1766 organist to the Octagon Chapel, Bath. He began to study languages and mathemataics and to construct astronomical instruments. He made his own reflecting telescope 1773-1774. In 1780 he discovered the planet Uranus, which he called 'Georguim Sidus' and received in 1781 the Copley Medal and was elected F. R. S. In 1782 he was appointed Court Astronomer. He erected a huge telescope 40 feet long and in 1789 detected the 6th satellite of Saturn. From 1780-1815 he wrote nerly 70 papers for Philosophical Transactions. In 1816 he was Knighted (Royal Hanoverian Guelphic order).