Madge Adam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Madge Adam
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Born |
Madge Gertrude Adam
6 March 1912 London, England
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Died | 25 August 2001 | (aged 89)
Education | Doncaster High School, St Hugh's College, Oxford, Lady Margaret Hall |
Madge Gertrude Adam (born March 6, 1912 – died August 25, 2001) was a brilliant English astronomer. She was very important because she was the first student to study solar physics at the University of Oxford's observatory. Solar physics is all about studying the Sun!
Contents
Early Life and Schooling
Madge was born in Highbury, North London. She was the youngest of three children. Her father was a teacher.
When World War I started, her father joined the army. Sadly, he was killed in 1918. After this, Madge, her mother, and her siblings moved to Yorkshire. They went to live with her mother's parents.
Overcoming Illness
When Madge was nine, she became very ill. She had skeletal tuberculosis in her elbow and rickets. She spent a whole year getting better at the Liverpool Open-Air Hospital.
Passion for Science
After leaving the hospital, Madge won a scholarship. This allowed her to attend Doncaster High School in South Yorkshire. Here, she discovered her lifelong love for science and mathematics.
In 1931, she earned another scholarship. This one was for St Hugh's College, Oxford, where she studied physics. She became the first woman to earn a top degree in physics at Oxford. Later, she earned her MA and D.Phil. degrees from Lady Margaret Hall.
A Career Studying the Sun
After finishing her studies, Madge heard exciting news. A new director at the Oxford observatory had just installed the university's first solar telescope. He was starting a new research program about the Sun.
Madge, who had just achieved a top physics degree, went to see him. She asked if she could join his team. She became the first postgraduate student and solar physicist at the observatory.
Leading the Observatory
Madge became a key person at the observatory. She stayed there for the rest of her life. During World War II, the director left to help with aircraft production. Madge then became the acting director!
After the war, she became the permanent assistant director. She also took charge of the observatory's money.
Teaching and Research
Madge also taught astronomy courses. She focused on astronavigation for Royal Navy and RAF cadets. This helped them navigate using the stars.
She became famous around the world for her work. She studied sunspots and their magnetic fields. Sunspots are darker, cooler areas on the Sun's surface.
Madge was a lecturer at the University of Oxford from 1937 to 1979. She also became a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1938.
See also
In Spanish: Madge Adam para niños