Born: 1818 (Nantucket, Massachusetts)
Died: 1889
Biography:
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. She won a gold medal prize for her discovery, which was presented to her by King Christian VIII of Denmark in 1848. Mitchell was the first internationally known woman to work as both a professional astronomer and a professor of astronomy after accepting a position at Vassar College in 1865. She was also the first woman elected Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Mitchell is the namesake of the Maria Mitchell Association, the Maria Mitchell Observatory, and the Maria Mitchell Aquarium.
Early years (1818–1846)
Maria Mitchell was born on August 1, 1818, on the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, to Lydia Coleman Mitchell, a library worker, and William Mitchell, a schoolteacher and amateur astronomer. The third of ten children, Mitchell and her siblings were raised in the Quaker religion. William Mitchell educated all his children about nature and astronomy and her mother’s employment at two libraries gave them access to a variety of knowledge.
Mitchell reportedly showed an early interest and talent in astronomy and mathematics. Her father taught her to operate a number of astronomical instruments including chronometers, sextants, refracting telescopes, and Dolland telescopes.[10] Mitchell often assisted her father in his work with local seamen and in his observations of the night sky. Additionally, Nantucket’s importance as a whaling port meant that wives of sailors were left for months, sometimes years, to manage affairs at home while their husbands were at sea, thus fostering an atmosphere of relative independence and equality for the women of the island.[11]
After attending Elizabeth Gardner small school as a young child, Mitchell enrolled in the North Grammar school, where her father was the first principal. When Maria Mitchell was 11 years old, her father founded his own school on Howard Street. There, she was a student and also a teaching assistant to her father.[12] In 1831, at the age of 12, Mitchell aided her father in calculating the exact moment of a solar eclipse.[13]
William Mitchell’s school closed, and afterwards she attended Unitarian minister Cyrus Peirce’s school for young ladies until she was 16. Later, she worked for Peirce as his teaching assistant before opening her own school in 1835. Mitchell developed experimental teaching methods, which she later employed during her professorship at Vassar College. She allowed nonwhite children to attend her school, though the local public school was still racially segregated at the time.
In 1837, Mitchell’s father built an observatory on the roof of their home, equipped with a 2.5-inch telescope. Through this telescope, Mitchell discovered her passion for studying the stars. She diligently observed comets, planets, and other celestial objects, meticulously recording her findings and contributing to the field of astronomy.
Through her work, Mitchell gained recognition and respect within the scientific community. In 1847, she made her most significant discovery – the identification of a comet. Mitchell’s discovery of what became known as Miss Mitchell’s Comet led to her receiving the gold medal prize from King Christian VIII of Denmark in 1848, making her the first American woman to earn such an award.
Mitchell’s accomplishments as an astronomer did not end there. In 1865, she accepted a position as a professor of astronomy at Vassar College, becoming both the first internationally known woman astronomer and the first female professor of astronomy. Mitchell’s influence expanded as she taught and mentored a new generation of aspiring female astronomers.
Her dedication to education extended beyond the confines of Vassar College. Mitchell actively advocated for the inclusion of women in scientific societies and fought for the rights of women to pursue careers in science. She not only broke barriers herself but also paved the way for future generations of women in the field of astronomy.
Maria Mitchell’s contributions to the scientific community were widely recognized and celebrated. She became the first woman elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1848 and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1850. Her legacy is honored through various institutions that bear her name, including the Maria Mitchell Association, the Maria Mitchell Observatory, and the Maria Mitchell Aquarium.
Awards:
– 1848: Gold medal prize for discovery of Miss Mitchell’s Comet, presented by King Christian VIII of Denmark