Carolyn Hurless facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carolyn Hurless
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| Born | November 24, 1934 Lima, Ohio
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| Died | February 13, 1987 (aged 52) |
| Citizenship | US |
| Spouse(s) | Don Hurless |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astronomy |
| Institutions | American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) |
Carolyn Hurless (born November 24, 1934 – died February 13, 1987) was an American astronomer. She won an award from the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO). During her life, she made an amazing 78,876 observations of stars!
Contents
Early Life and Her Telescope
Carolyn Hurless was born in Lima, Ohio, on November 24, 1934. When she was 13, she became very interested in astronomy. This happened because she loved reading science fiction books.
A man named Herbert Speer, who led the Lima Astronomy Club, saw her name on astronomy books at the library. He invited her to join their club. Soon after, Carolyn built her very own telescope. It was an 8-inch reflector telescope. It was special because it was small and easy to move around. She even called it "feminine" because it was so easy to transport. Many of her star observations were made using this telescope.
Sharing Knowledge and Leadership
Around the same time, Carolyn began learning from a famous star observer named Leslie Peltier. She learned a lot from him. Carolyn then shared this knowledge with other astronomers. She became a mentor, helping others learn about stars. She also wrote monthly newsletters to share her findings.
Eventually, she started her own newsletter called Variable Views. She published it for 22 years! Carolyn also helped lead the AAVSO. She was a councilor for two years. Later, she served as the 2nd Vice President of the council for six years.
Amazing Star Observations
Carolyn Hurless made nearly 79,000 observations of stars. She was especially interested in watching how bright certain stars got. She focused on very dim stars, especially when they were at their faintest. These observations were so important she called them "inner sanctum" observations. They were a main topic in her monthly newsletter.
Carolyn also helped with a scientific paper about how stars eclipse each other. She, along with other astronomers, made many observations of these eclipses. Their work helped show how stars change brightness during these events.
The "Heavy Breathing" Trick
Carolyn learned a special trick from her mentor, Leslie Peltier. She called it "heavy breathing." This trick helped her see very faint stars. Here's how it worked:
- First, she would breathe quickly through her nose before looking into the telescope. This sent more oxygen to her brain and eyes, making her more alert.
- Then, while looking around the sky, she would breathe slowly.
- When she found a star she wanted to focus on, she would speed up her breathing again. This technique helped her spot stars that were hard to see.
The Variable Views Newsletter
Carolyn started her Variable Views newsletter to create a place for star observers to share their stories. It became very popular. The newsletter grew longer and started including full articles. Most people who subscribed were other active star observers. Sometimes, these subscribers would even gather at Carolyn's house for summer meetings.
Eventually, Carolyn stopped publishing the newsletter. It became too long and had too many subscribers. The cost of printing and sending it out became too much work.
Personal Life
Besides being a dedicated astronomer, Carolyn Hurless was also a full-time music teacher. Her husband, Don Hurless, was also a music teacher. After Carolyn passed away, Don never remarried. He lived in their home until he died in 2015.
Honors and Awards
Carolyn Hurless received special recognition for her work.
- In 1981, an asteroid was discovered by Brian Skiff. It was named 3434 Hurless to honor her.
- In 2012, the AAVSO also honored Carolyn. They launched four new online learning programs. They named them The Carolyn Hurless Online Institute for Continuing Education (CHOICE). These programs were the first step toward creating an online education center, which was something Carolyn had wanted to do.
See also
In Spanish: Carolyn Hurless para niños
