Woman Astronomers Day – August 1, 2024

History of Woman Astronomers Day

Women’s accomplishments in science have long gone unrecognized. This day sheds light on the many discoveries made by female astronomers and more so the achievements of Maria Mitchell. Maria Mitchell was born in 1818. Her mother was a library worker and her father was a schoolteacher interested in astronomy. While there was little to no value in women’s education at the time, the Mitchells, like other Quakers, valued education and taught all their sons and daughters the same. Maria attended school and worked as a teaching assistant, developing new teaching techniques. She spent most of her life working as a librarian and assisting her father with astronomical observations for the U.S. Coast Survey.

In 1847, Mitchell discovered the Comet 1847 VI which she published in the Silliman’s Journal. It was later named the “Miss Mitchell’s Comet”. That same year, King Frederick VI of Denmark awarded her a gold medal for her discovery. She is the first woman and the first American to receive this award. Although she lacked a college education, she became the first female professor of astronomy when Matthew Vassar, the founder of Vassar College, appointed her to the position in 1865. Maria Mitchell is the most well-known female astronomer, but she is not the only notable one. Thanks to her Quaker upbringing, Mitchell’s interest in astronomy was encouraged early on. It’s also important to look at those who did not receive much encouragement at first. Edward Pickering is a well-renowned astronomer who hired his maid, Williamina Fleming, to help him with analyzing data. She became one of the pioneers of Harvard Computers, a team of women who processed astronomical data. Fleming went on to make many scientific discoveries such as her discovery of the ‘Horsehead Nebula’ in 1888. Pickering and Fleming also created the ‘Pickering Fleming’ system which helped in the classification of stars based on temperature.