Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin

Profession: Astronomer and Astrophysicist

Biography: Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin was a British-American astronomer and astrophysicist. She made groundbreaking discoveries about the composition of stars, despite facing significant obstacles in the male-dominated field.

Payne-Gaposchkin's 1925 doctoral thesis argued that stars are composed primarily of hydrogen and helium. This contradicted the scientific consensus at the time, and her findings were initially rejected by the astronomical community, including renowned astronomer Henry Norris Russell.

Despite this setback, Payne-Gaposchkin continued her research at the Harvard College Observatory. She published several influential books, including "The Stars of High Luminosity" (1930), "Variable Stars" (1938), and "Variable Stars and Galactic Structure" (1954). In 1934, she married Russian-born astrophysicist Sergei I. Gaposchkin.

Payne-Gaposchkin's work on variable stars and the structure of the Milky Way further solidified her reputation as an astronomer. In 1956, she became the first woman to be promoted to full professor from within the faculty at Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Throughout her career, she served as a mentor and inspiration to other women in science, such as Joan Feynman.

Payne-Gaposchkin's contributions were recognized with numerous awards, including the Annie J. Cannon Award in Astronomy (1934), the Rittenhouse Medal (1961), and the Henry Norris Russell Lectureship (1976).

Born: May 10, 1900
Birthplace: Wendover, Buckinghamshire, England

Generation: Lost Generation
Chinese Zodiac: Rat
Star Sign: Taurus

Died: December 7, 1979 (aged 79)