helium was discovered by the french astronomer pierre janssen on august 18, 1868, as a bright yellow line in the spectrum of the chromosphere of the sun. the line was thought to be sodium. on the same year, english astronomer, norman lockyer, also observed it and found that it was caused by a new element. lockyer and english chemist edward frankland named the element helium, from the greek word for the sun, ἥλιος ("helios").