This scientist is most known for...
She discovered the composition of the stars, including our sun. If you know that the sun is made of hydrogen atoms fusing into helium, it's because of her.
FIELD OF STUDY: Astrophysics
DATE OF DEATH: 12/7/1979
ACTIVE RESEARCH ERA: 20th century
AFFILIATED INSTITUTIONS OF WORK:
- Newnham College, University of Cambridge
- Harvard University- Doctoral degree in Astronomy, Faculty member
RELATED PRINCETON COURSES:
- AST 203
- AST 255
- AST 513
Background, early life, and outside interests:
Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin was born in Wendover, UK in 1900. She was the eldest of 3 children, her mother was an artist and her father was a lawyer and historian who passed away when Payne was only 4 years old. Her family traveled around a bit and she finished her final year at St Paul’s Girls’ School from where she won a scholarship to attend Newnham College, Cambridge.
She was initially interested in botany, chemistry, and physics but after attending a lecture by A.S Eddington she determined she wanted to become an astronomer. However, as a woman, a career in astronomy in Britain was not possible and thus she was advised to seek education in the states. In 1923, Payne was awarded the Newnham College and Pickering fellowship which allowed her to work at the Harvard College Observatory, where she would remain for the rest of her life. By 1925 “she became the first astronomer at the observatory to be awarded a Ph.D. degree”. During that year she was also awarded a National Research Council fellowship to continue her work at Harvard but was given an undefined position because the university was hesitant to hire women.
Payne married Sergio Gaposchkin in the 1930s and they had 3 children together, Payne worked during all of her pregnancies and her children grew up very familiar with the observatory. In 1956, she was finally made a professor and a department chair- she was the first woman to achieve this. She retired from the university in 1966 but remained affiliated with the observatory and continued her research until 1976.
Most Notable Achievements:
Payne is most known for discovering that stars are made largely of hydrogen and helium, before her discovery it was widely believed that the sun’s composition was similar to the earth’s and many astronomers were hesitant to trust her findings. She was awarded the Henry Norris Russell Prize in 1976 by the American Astronomical Society.
Barriers broken by this scientist:
As a woman during the early 1920s, she spent most of her career being overlooked and underappreciated. Her discoveries were doubted and put under heavy scrutiny even despite her accuracy and the fact that she was more knowledgeable than most astronomers at the time. She spent most of her life in undefined and underpaid positions. Additionally, in spite of being one of the most brilliant astronomers of her time, she was never elected to the National Academy of Sciences. However, she was eventually respected and appreciated by her peers and often spoke to women about careers in astronomy.
Citations:
"Shibboleth Authentication Request". 2020. Www-Oxforddnb-Com.Ezproxy.Princeton.Edu. https://www-oxforddnb-com.ezproxy.princeton.edu/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9….
"Shibboleth Authentication Request". 2000. Www-Anb-Org.Ezproxy.Princeton.Edu. https://www-anb-org.ezproxy.princeton.edu/view/10.1093/anb/978019860669….
Soter, Steven, and Neil deGrasse Tyson. 2022. "Cecilia Payne And The Composition Of The Stars". American Museum Of Natural History. Accessed August 28. https://www.amnh.org/learn-teach/curriculum-collections/cosmic-horizons….
Williams, Richard. 2015. "This Month In Physics History". Aps.Org. https://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/201501/physicshistory.cfm.
American Physical Society article
NOMINATED BY:
Madeline Yu
Liz Fuller-Wright | [email protected] | @lizfullerwright