Maria Mitchell

Born: 1818

Died: 1889

Country of Birth: USA

Nationality: USA

Ethnicity: White

Cyrus Pierce s School for Young Girls; taught astronomy by her father, William

""I cannot expect to make astronomers," she said to her students, "but I do expect that you will invigorate your minds by the effort at healthy modes of thinking. When we are chafed and fretted by small cares, a look at the stars will show us the littleness of our own interests.""

— Maria Mitchell

Field of Study: Astronomy; Librarian

Institution/Corporation: Nautical Almanac Office; Vassar College; Vassar College Observatory

Degrees & Memberships: Honorary Degree: Hanover College, Columbia University, Rutgers Female College; Member: American Academy of Arts & Sciences (1848), American Association for the Advancement of Science (1850), American Philosophical Society (1869), Leader in formation of American Association for the Advancement of Women (1873, AAW, later known as the American Association of University Women, president 1873), American Social Science Association (Vice President)

Awards: King of Denmark s Cometary Prize Medal, 1848; 1994, National women s Hall of Fame; 1905, Hall of Fame of Great Americans; 1989, National women s History Month Honoree; 2013, Google Doodle; a WWII Liberty ship, NY Metro North Commuter Train, a crater on the moon, a society & observatory are among the things named after her

Achievements: involved in the anti-slavery & suffrage movements; 1902, Maria Mitchell Association founded on Nantucket-operate an observatory, a museum, archive her papers & maintain her childhood home & conduct educational presentations & do astronomical observations & research; she was the editor of an astronomical column for Scientific American; computed the ephemerus of Venus for the US Nautical Almanac;