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Writer's pictureSimon Hurst

HoA: Celebrating Pioneering Women in Astronomy, by Simon Nosworthy and Mary Dooley

Last night, we kicked off the 2024-25 season of Flamsteed’s History of Astronomy talks at Mycenae House. Now, we could’ve just given you one talk, but that’s a bit boring - and we don’t do boring here. Oh no, we started the season with not one, but two talks. Yep, you heard me - two talks! We do spoil you, don’t we? 😊


So let’s dive into the highlights.


You’ve probably heard of William Herschel, but how much do you know about his sister? Well, Simon Nosworthy knows a thing or two about Caroline Herschel, and his talk was both educational and humorous. I won’t give away too much because the video is far better than anything I can write here, but here are a few spoilers: Caroline was born in the 1700s, was the first woman to receive a salary as a scientist and hold a government position, and won the Gold Medal from the Royal Astronomical Society. And that’s just scratching the surface. Her story really opens your eyes, especially considering that women at the time weren’t even allowed to attend university.



Oh, did I mention we had two talks? 😊


Our second speaker was Mary Dooley, who introduced us to Alice Everett. Now, if you’re wondering, “Who??” don’t worry, you’re not alone - I hadn’t heard of her either. But wow, what a remarkable woman! Again, you’ll need to watch the video for the full story, but I’ll drop a few more spoilers, just because I can. 😊


Alice was born in Scotland in the 1800s and grew up in Ireland. She was one of the first women in astronomy to be paid a salary similar to men and among the first women in the field of physics and optics to gain recognition from publishing papers. She made significant contributions to optics and early television.



Have I whetted your appetite yet? I hope so, and I hope you’re already rushing off to watch the video. 😊


In conclusion, these two women were incredible, and Simon and Mary from the RMG (Royal Museums Greenwich) presented their stories in such an engaging way that I’m eager to learn more.


Pictures from the Evening (by Mike Meynell and Simon Hurst)


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