Women Astronomers in Britain, 1780-1930

Abstract

The evidence laid out above shows that Darwin actually quoted the works of ancient Chinese scholars. Moreover, in the course of establishing and developing his theories, he studied and utilized the Chinese scientific heritage and advanced it further. This is an interesting example in the history of Sino-Western scientific exchange."With a true eye and a faithful hand" Between 1780 and 1930, that is from the time of Caroline Herschel to that of Cecilia Payne, women gained a foothold in British astronomy. Astronomical societies admitted them, universities let them attend relevant courses, and a few observatories hired them as computers. A brief survey of the careers of these women reveals patterns that persisted from the nineteenth into the twentieth century. At the same time, it shows that they had fewer opportunities, especially for independent astronomical research and teaching, than women elsewhere. These patterns merit further study in a more complete collective biography.The careers of the Hanoverian-born singer Caroline Herschel and the Scottishborn author, wife, and mother Mary Somerville offered two early models for British women drawn to astronomy. Caroline Herschel (1750-1848) was the exemplary helpmate. She joined her brother William in England in 1772, and initially shared in his career as a musician. When William Herschel began to manufacture telescopes and observe the stars, she assisted. After William Herschel discovered Uranus in 1781, the British government awarded him a pension that allowed him to devote all his time to astronomy. Caroline Herschel also turned to astronomy, not only polishing lenses and recording observations, but discovering eight comets on her own. In 1787, she received her own pension of ?50 annually. When William Herschel married in 1788, she moved to separate lodgings but continued to work in his observatory. After his death in 1822, she returned to Hanover, spending part of her long retirement preparing a catalogue of nebulae for the use of William Herschel's son John. In 1835, Caroline Herschel was elected an honorary fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, one of the first two women so honored.1The second woman elected to the RAS in 1835, Mary Somerville (1780-1872), entered astronomy by another path often used by later women. She wrote books for a popular audience, synthesizing contemporary discoveries in the physical sciences. Although Somerville had no formal training in mathematics and astronomy, she prepared an English "rendition," with extensive commentary, of * National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560 This research was carried out under a Smithsonian Institution fellowship. I thank Deborah Warner for her advice and directionThe evidence laid out above shows that Darwin actually quoted the works of ancient Chinese scholars. Moreover, in the course of establishing and developing his theories, he studied and utilized the Chinese scientific heritage and advanced it further. This is an interesting example in the history of S...

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