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Mar 27, 2024 · Maria Mitchell, American astronomer and the first woman to be elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She was also the first professional woman astronomer in the U.S. In 1847 she established the orbit of a new comet, which became known as ‘Miss Mitchell’s Comet.’. Learn more about her life and career.
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The first female astronomer in the United States, Maria Mitchell was also the first American scientist to discover a comet, which brought her international acclaim. Additionally, she was an early advocate for science and math education for girls and the first female astronomy professor.
Born on August 1, 1818 in Nantucket, Massachusetts, Maria was the third of William and Lydia Mitchells ten children. As Quakers, her parents advocated equal education for girls, and her fatheran astronomer and teachercontributed much to her education. Maria attended Cyrus Peirces School for Young Ladies, and after completing her education at age 16...
In 1836, Mitchell went to work as the librarian of the Nantucket Atheneum, where for twenty years, she spent her days reading and nights with her father at the observatory he built atop the nearby Pacific Bank, where he was the principal officer.
On October 1, 1847, at age 29, Maria Mitchell discovered the comet that would be named \\"Miss Mitchell's Comet,\\" using a two-inch telescope. She was awarded a gold medal from King Frederick VI of Denmark and became the first woman elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1848.
Later elected to the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Philosophical Society, Mitchell was likely one of the first professional women employed by the US government, hired to make calculations for a project conducted by the US Coastal Survey.
After leaving the Atheneum in 1856, Mitchell traveled throughout Europe, meeting with astronomers. Over the years, she became involved in the anti-slavery movement and suffrage movements. After the Civil War, Vassar College founder Matthew Vassar recruited Mitchell to join the faculty, where she had access to a twelve-inch telescope, the third larg...
Mitchell also was a leader in the formation of the American Association for the Advancement of Women (AAW), which later became the American Association of University Women. She served as AAWs 1873 president and also was elected vice president of one of the few mixed-gender professional associations of the era, the pioneer American Social Science As...
Retiring from Vassar in 1888, Mitchell continued her research in Lynn, Massachusetts, where her sister lived. Friends and supporters founded the Maria Mitchell Association on Nantucket in 1902; they preserved her home, which is open to visitors. Mitchell was one of three women elected to the Hall of Fame of Great Americans in 1905, and was an induc...
Maria Mitchell (/məˈraɪə/; August 1, 1818 – June 28, 1889) was an American astronomer, librarian, naturalist, and educator. In 1847, she discovered a comet named 1847 VI (modern designation C/1847 T1 ) that was later known as " Miss Mitchell's Comet " in her honor. [3]
- June 28, 1889 (aged 70), Lynn, Massachusetts, U.S.
- Discovery of C/1847 T1, First female American professional astronomer
Maria Mitchell was an astronomer, librarian, naturalist, and educator. She discovered a telescopic comet in 1847, for which she was awarded a gold medal by the King of Denmark. Her discovery thrust her into the international spotlight and she became America’s first professional female astronomer.
Mar 1, 2023 · March 1, 2023. A young Maria Mitchell peers through a telescope. 1852. (Image credit: Painted by Herminia Borchard Dassel. Photo in public domain.) Maria (Mar-eye-uh) Mitchell was a renowned astronomer and professor in the 1800s and most likely the first woman to work for the U.S. government in a professional capacity.
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Apr 2, 2014 · Famous Scientists. Maria Mitchell is best known for being the first professional female astronomer in the United States. She discovered a new comet in 1847 that became known as "Miss Mitchell's...
1818-1889. The first female astronomer in the United States, Maria Mitchell was also the first American scientist to discover a comet, which brought her international acclaim. Additionally, she was an early advocate for science and math education for girls and the first female astronomy professor.
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