Harriet Dinerstein facts for kids
Harriet Dinerstein is an American astronomer. An astronomer is a scientist who studies stars, planets, and everything else in space.
Harriet Dinerstein has been honored for her important work in astronomy. In 1985, she received the Annie J. Cannon Prize. This award is given to young women for their excellent research in astronomy. She also won the Newton Lacy Pierce Prize in 1989, which recognizes outstanding research in observational astronomy.
She earned her first degree, a Bachelor of Science, from Yale University in 1975. Later, she received her Ph.D. (a higher degree) from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1980. Today, she is a Professor of Astronomy at the University of Texas at Austin, where she teaches and continues her research.
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What Harriet Dinerstein Studies
Harriet Dinerstein focuses on several interesting areas in space:
- Chemical makeup of stars: She studies the different chemical elements found in stars. This helps scientists understand what stars are made of and how they work.
- Planetary nebulae: These are beautiful clouds of gas and dust that form when a star like our Sun reaches the end of its life. They look a bit like planets through a telescope, but they are actually glowing gas.
- H II regions: These are huge clouds of gas in space where new stars are being born. They contain hydrogen gas that has been energized and glows brightly.
Discovery of a Recurrent Nova
In 1973, Harriet Dinerstein made an exciting discovery. She found a special type of exploding star called a recurrent nova on old photographic plates. This star is named V3890 Sagittarii.
A recurrent nova is a star that explodes more than once. V3890 Sagittarii was seen to erupt (explode) in May or June 1962, again in April 1990, and most recently on August 27, 2019. Studying these repeated explosions helps astronomers learn more about how stars change and interact over time.
Awards and Recognition
Harriet Dinerstein has received several important awards for her contributions to astronomy:
- 1984: Annie J. Cannon Award in Astronomy from the American Association of University Women/American Astronomical Society. This award recognizes outstanding research by a young woman astronomer.
- 1989: Newton Lacy Pierce Prize in Astronomy from the American Astronomical Society. This prize is given for significant achievement in observational astronomy.
See also
In Spanish: Harriet Dinerstein para niños
