Planetarium

Rich brings the work of German astronomer Caroline Herschel to light in “Planetarium.” According to the Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics, “Many of Rich’s poems are just revisions of previous texts as she sorts through the ‘book of myths’ [...] to find moments in which women have been marginalized—or ignored outright” (1493). Caroline Herschel, born in 1750, was the sister of William Herschel, a well-known astronomer who discovered Uranus. She initially assisted William, aiding in the production of telescope lenses and recording his astronomical findings. Eventually, she made discoveries of her own, such as nebulae, galaxies, and comets. Caroline also created her own catalog for identifying stars. This project began with updating and correcting the work of John Flamsteed. Her Catalogue was published under William’s name in 1802, and she passed down the work to her nephew, John Herschel. After her death in 1848, Caroline’s work was expanded by other astronomers and became a part of the frequently referenced New General Catalogue.

Another historical figure who inspired Rich’s “Planetarium” is Tycho Brahe. Rich includes “Tycho” in Line 24, and the name of his observatory, “Uranusborg,” in Line 19. Brahe was a Danish astronomer who lived in the late 1500s, several centuries before Herschel.