Maria Mitchell
Today in Mighty Girl history, Maria Mitchell, the first professional female astronomer in America and the second woman in history to discover a comet, was born in 1818. Raised by Quaker parents who believed, contrary to the practice of the time, in giving girls the same quality of education as boys. Her father, a school principal, taught her the basics of astronomy and, at age 12, she helped him to calculate the moment of an annular eclipse.
In 1847, her discovery of a comet that became known as "Miss Mitchell's Comet" -- the first by a woman since the discoveries by German astronomer Caroline Herschel in the late 18th century -- made her famous worldwide and she was awarded a gold medal prize for the discovery from King Frederick VII of Denmark. In 1865, she became a professor of astronomy at Vassar College and was named the Director of the Vassar Observatory.
Among her many honors, Mitchell became the first woman member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1848 and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1850. She also co-founded the American Association for the Advancement of Women. Today, her legacy lives on at the Maria Mitchell Observatory, named in her honor in Nantucket, Massachusetts.
There is a wonderful biography about Maria Mitchell for middle readers 11 and up, "Maria Mitchell: The Soul of an Astronomer," at http://www.amightygirl.com/maria-mitchell
Maria Mitchell is also one of the 52 female scientists profiled in the excellent recent release “Headstrong: 52 Women Who Changed Science – and The World," which is highly recommended for teens and adults alike athttp://www.amightygirl.com/headstrong-52-women
If your Mighty Girl is fascinated by space, we recommend books, toys, clothing, and even room decor for budding astronauts, astronomers, and astrophysicists from toddlers to teens in our post, "Mighty Careers: I Want To Be An Astronaut!" athttp://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=5812
And, for more stories of girls and women in the sciences, including many biographies, visit our "Science & Technology" section at http://www.amightygirl.com/…/general-int…/science-technology