Mary Watson Whitney facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Watson Whitney
|
|
|---|---|
Mary Watson Whitney
|
|
| Born | September 11, 1847 |
| Died | January 21, 1921 (aged 73) |
| Nationality | American |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astronomy |
| Institutions | Vassar Observatory |
Mary Watson Whitney (born September 11, 1847 – died January 20, 1921) was an American astronomer. She was the head of the Vassar Observatory for 22 years. During her time there, 102 scientific papers were published under her guidance.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Mary Watson Whitney was born on September 11, 1847. Her hometown was Waltham, Massachusetts. Her parents were Mary Watson Crehore and Samuel Buttrick Whitney. Her father was a successful businessman. He made sure Mary received a good education. This was special for a woman at that time.
She went to school in Waltham. Mary was very good at mathematics. She finished public high school in 1863. After that, she had a private tutor for a year. In 1865, she started at Vassar College. There, she met the famous astronomer Maria Mitchell. Mary earned her degree in 1868.
From 1869 to 1870, Mary took special classes. These were about advanced math and how planets move. She studied with Benjamin Peirce at Harvard University. At that time, women could not officially join Harvard. So, Mary attended as a guest student. She received her master's degree from Vassar in 1872. Then, she went to Zürich for three years. There, she continued to study math and how things move in space.
A Career in Astronomy
When Mary returned to the United States, she first taught at her hometown high school. Soon after, she became an assistant to Maria Mitchell at Vassar College. In 1888, Maria Mitchell retired. Mary Watson Whitney then became a professor. She also became the director of the observatory at Vassar. She worked there until she retired in 1915 due to health reasons.
Research and Discoveries
During her career, Mary focused on teaching and research. She studied many interesting things in space. These included double stars, which are two stars orbiting each other. She also looked at variable stars, which change in brightness. Other topics were asteroids and comets. She used photographic plates to make measurements.
Under her leadership, the Vassar Observatory published 102 articles. In 1889, her mother and sister became ill. Mary moved them to the Observatory. This way, she could care for them and still work part-time. After they passed away two years later, she went back to working full-time.
Supporting Women in Science
Mary Watson Whitney believed that science offered great jobs for women. She hoped women would become more active in fields like chemistry, architecture, and dentistry. She thought these jobs were good for women and paid well. She also believed that scientific training helped women become good mothers.
Mary also helped fund women in science. In 1908, an observatory was built in Nantucket. Whitney raised money to pay for a female research fellow there. In her will, she left $5,000 to Vassar College. This money was to support research done by women.
Mary was a member of important science groups. She was a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She was also a founding member of the Astronomical and Astrophysical Society. In 1902, the Maria Mitchell Association started in Nantucket. Mary Whitney became its first president.
Later Life
Mary Watson Whitney died in Waltham on January 20, 1921. She passed away from pneumonia.
See also
In Spanish: Mary Watson Whitney para niños
