---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Since stars appear to be suns, and suns…"
description: "\"Since stars appear to be suns, and suns, according to the common opinion, are bodies that serve to enlighten, warm, and sustain a system of planets, we..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/william-herschel-28349_astronomy_since-stars-appear-to-be-suns-and-suns-a_618947.png"
---

#  Since stars appear to be suns, and suns, according to the…

![“Since stars appear to be suns, and suns, according to the common opinion, are bodies that serve to enlighten, warm, and sustain a system of planets, we may have an idea of the numberless globes that serve for the habitaton of living creatures.” quote by William Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/william-herschel-28349_astronomy_since-stars-appear-to-be-suns-and-suns-a_618947.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/william-herschel-28349_astronomy_since-stars-appear-to-be-suns-and-suns-a_618947.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/william-herschel-28349_astronomy_since-stars-appear-to-be-suns-and-suns-a_618947.png)

> “Since stars appear to be suns, and suns, according to the common opinion, are bodies that serve to enlighten, warm, and sustain a system of planets, we may have an idea of the numberless globes that serve for the habitaton of living creatures.”

[William Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herschel/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Stars are like suns that illuminate and sustain planets, suggesting countless worlds could host life.

**In simple terms:** Stars may support many habitable planets.

Key Takeaway

Consider the possibility of life beyond Earth.

Themes

astronomy life beyond Earth cosmic perspective

Mood

wonder curiosity

Type

scientific philosophical

When to use this quote

- space exploration
- education
- science outreach
- philosophical debate

Key Concepts

astrobiology stellar physics

Questions to Reflect On

- What would discovering extraterrestrial life mean for humanity?
- How does the vastness of space affect your worldview?

A Different Perspective

Evidence for life elsewhere remains unproven.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Enlightening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightening/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Living creatures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-creatures/) [Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Star gazing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/star-gazing/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/)

## Related quotes

> [If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore; and preserve for many generations the remembrance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-the-stars-should-appear-one-night-in-a-thousand-years-how-would/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [If the stars should appear but one night every thousand years how man would marvel and stare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-the-stars-should-appear-but-one-night-every-thousand-years-how-man-2/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [“We all are individual and lonely, like stars which appear so close but millions of miles apart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/we-all-are-individual-and-lonely-like-stars-which-appear-so-close-but/)

[Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/)

> [“...it seems to me that sometimes-or perhaps I might venture most of the time-occurrences have no cause at all. New stars appear and old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galen-m-beckett/it-seems-to-me-that-sometimes-or-perhaps-i-might-venture-most-of-the/)

Galen M. Beckett

> [“But if a man be alone, let him look at the stars. The rays that come from those heavenly worlds, will separate between him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/but-if-a-man-be-alone-let-him-look-at-the-stars-the-rays-that-come/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [When the sun sets, beautiful though it may be, billions of stars appear. The ego is but one sun. When that sun sets, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/when-the-sun-sets-beautiful-though-it-may-be-billions-of-stars-appear/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [“If the stars should appear but one night every thousand years how man would marvel and adore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-the-stars-should-appear-but-one-night-every-thousand-years-how-man/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [Always remember, It has to be dark for the stars to appear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/always-remember-it-has-to-be-dark-for-the-stars-to-appear/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“You can see eleven stars appear over the horizon if you don't look for more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-fridlund/you-can-see-eleven-stars-appear-over-the-horizon-if-you-don-t-look/)

Emily Fridlund

> [Pride makes us long for a solution to things – a solution, a purpose, a final cause; but the better telescopes become, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/pride-makes-us-long-for-a-solution-to-things-a-solution-a-purpose-a/)

[Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/)

> [Stars appear as pin-points of light. They don't twinkle there as they do when we see them from earth because the atmospheric blanket is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-sharma/stars-appear-as-pin-points-of-light-they-don-t-twinkle-there-as-they/)

[Rakesh Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-sharma/)

> [“The Congregating of Stars They often meet in mountain lakes, No matter how remote, no matter how deep Down and far they must stream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pattiann-rogers/the-congregating-of-stars-they-often-meet-in-mountain-lakes-no-matter/)

[Pattiann Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pattiann-rogers/)

> [Although I can't stop all cruelty to living creatures on the planet, I can be kinder to every living creature in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/river-phoenix/although-i-can-t-stop-all-cruelty-to-living-creatures-on-the-planet-i/)

[River Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/river-phoenix/)

> [The haunting of history is ever present in Barcelona. I see cities as organisms, as living creatures. To me, Madrid is a man and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/the-haunting-of-history-is-ever-present-in-barcelona-i-see-cities-as/)

[Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/)

> [The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-love-for-all-living-creatures-is-the-most-noble-attribute-of-man/)

[Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/)

## More by William Herschel

> [The heavens are now seen to resemble a luxuriant garden, which contains the greatest variety of productions, in different flourishing beds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/the-heavens-are-now-seen-to-resemble-a-luxuriant-garden-which/)

[William Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herschel/)

> [ We see it \[the as-yet unseen, probable new planet, Neptune\] as Columbus saw America from the coast of Spain. Its movements have been felt,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/we-see-it-the-as-yet-unseen-probable-new-planet-neptune-as-columbus/)

[William Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herschel/)

> [That planet has a considerable but moderate atmosphere. So that the inhabitants probably enjoy a situation in many respects similar to ours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/that-planet-has-a-considerable-but-moderate-atmosphere-so-that-the/)

[William Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herschel/)

> [The phenomena of nature, especially those that fall under the inspection of the astronomer, are to be viewed, not only with the usual attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/the-phenomena-of-nature-especially-those-that-fall-under-the/)

[William Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herschel/)

> [We need not hesitate to admit that the Sun is richly stored with inhabitants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/we-need-not-hesitate-to-admit-that-the-sun-is-richly-stored-with/)

[William Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herschel/)

> [He broke through the barriers of the skies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/he-broke-through-the-barriers-of-the-skies/)

[William Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herschel/)

> [The undevout astronomer must be mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/the-undevout-astronomer-must-be-mad/)

[William Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herschel/)

> [I have tried to improve telescopes and practiced continually to see with them. These instruments have play'd me so many tricks that I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/i-have-tried-to-improve-telescopes-and-practiced-continually-to-see/)

[William Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herschel/)

> [I have looked further into space than ever human being did before me. I have observed stars of which the light, it can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/i-have-looked-further-into-space-than-ever-human-being-did-before-me/)

[William Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herschel/)

> [The difference of the degrees in which the individuals of a great community enjoy the good things of life has been a theme of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/the-difference-of-the-degrees-in-which-the-individuals-of-a-great/)

[William Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herschel/)

> [ ... finding that in \[the Moon\] there is a provision of light and heat; also in appearance, a soil proper for habitation fully as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/finding-that-in-the-moon-there-is-a-provision-of-light-and-heat-also/)

[William Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herschel/)

> [“I have looked further into space than ever human being did before me. I have observed stars of which the light, it can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/i-have-looked-further-into-space-than-ever-human-being-did-before-me-2/)

[William Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herschel/)

> [Seeing is in some respect an art, which must be learnt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/seeing-is-in-some-respect-an-art-which-must-be-learnt/)

[William Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herschel/)

> [By reflecting a little on this subject I am almost convinced that those numberless small Circuses we see on the moon are the works…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/by-reflecting-a-little-on-this-subject-i-am-almost-convinced-that/)

[William Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herschel/)

> [ “ Coelorum perrupit claustra. He broke through the barriers of the skies. \[ Herschel's epitaph \]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/coelorum-perrupit-claustra-he-broke-through-the-barriers-of-the-skies/)

[William Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herschel/)

[Explore all 19 William Herschel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herschel/)

## More Astronomy quotes

> [I have inside me the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything created in the universe. We were all made by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-have-inside-me-the-winds-the-deserts-the-oceans-the-stars-and/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [Wen daylight turns to a darkened hue, D lovely stars hinting at u, ur heart beat tells u something true, That some 1 badly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butterfly-kisses/wen-daylight-turns-to-a-darkened-hue-d-lovely-stars-hinting-at-u-ur/)

Butterfly\_Kisses

> [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [In the movie, the stars above the ship bear no correspondence to any constellations in a real sky. Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

> [Astronomers have built telescopes which can show myriads of stars unseen before; but when a man looks through a tear in his own eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/astronomers-have-built-telescopes-which-can-show-myriads-of-stars/)

[Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/)

> [From the grasses in the field to the stars in the sky, each one is doing just that; and there is such profound peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/from-the-grasses-in-the-field-to-the-stars-in-the-sky-each-one-is/)

[Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/)

> [“Sentinels of trees breathe life into bodies of earthly flesh As their mighty arms reach to the stars we join in their quest for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramon-ravenswood/sentinels-of-trees-breathe-life-into-bodies-of-earthly-flesh-as-their/)

[Ramon Ravenswood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramon-ravenswood/)

> [“If there are no stars on the sky, you must try to be happy with the shining streetlights!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-there-are-no-stars-on-the-sky-you-must-try-to-be-happy-with-the/)

[Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [Twinking tears in a sea of black. Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/)

Nicole Gentile

> [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/)

[Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/)

> [“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars." ... quote has been credited to Les Brown.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylviek/shoot-for-the-moon-even-if-you-miss-it-you-will-land-among-the-stars/)

Sylviek

> [When certain stars take you under their wing, it does help as they gauge your potential and are willing to work with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-bhatt/when-certain-stars-take-you-under-their-wing-it-does-help-as-they/)

[Vikram Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-bhatt/)

> [We were put here as witnesses to the miracle of life. We see the stars, and we want them. We are beholden to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-were-put-here-as-witnesses-to-the-miracle-of-life-we-see-the-stars/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [The reason so many of us are obsessed with becoming stars is because we are not yet starring in our own lives. The cosmic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-reason-so-many-of-us-are-obsessed-with-becoming-stars-is-because/)

[Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/)

[Browse all 6,190 Astronomy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Since stars appear to be suns, and suns, according to the common opinion, are bodies that serve to enlighten, warm, and sustain a system of planets, we may have an idea of the numberless globes that serve for the habitaton of living creatures.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "William Herschel"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/since-stars-appear-to-be-suns-and-suns-according-to-the-common/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Astronomy"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/since-stars-appear-to-be-suns-and-suns-according-to-the-common/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/william-herschel-28349_astronomy_since-stars-appear-to-be-suns-and-suns-a_618947.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/william-herschel-28349_astronomy_since-stars-appear-to-be-suns-and-suns-a_618947.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b6/william-herschel-28349_astronomy_since-stars-appear-to-be-suns-and-suns-a_618947.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Since stars appear to be suns, and suns, according to the common opinion, are bodies that serve to…” — William Herschel",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "William Herschel",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herschel/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Since stars appear to be suns,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/since-stars-appear-to-be-suns-and-suns-according-to-the-common/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/since-stars-appear-to-be-suns-and-suns-according-to-the-common/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
