Renowned physicist Lise Meitner is shown in this black-and-white portrait, wearing a dark top with a calm, thoughtful expression. Meitner is celebrated for her pioneering work in nuclear physics and her role in the discovery of nuclear fission, which had profound implications for both science and society.
Renowned physicist Lise Meitner is shown in this black-and-white portrait, wearing a dark top with a calm, thoughtful expression. Meitner is celebrated for her pioneering work in nuclear physics and her role in the discovery of nuclear fission, which had profound implications for both science and society.

Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin

Historical

Historical

May 10, 1900

-

Dec 7, 1979

Renowned physicist Lise Meitner is shown in this black-and-white portrait, wearing a dark top with a calm, thoughtful expression. Meitner is celebrated for her pioneering work in nuclear physics and her role in the discovery of nuclear fission, which had profound implications for both science and society.

Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin

Historical

Historical

May 10, 1900

-

Dec 7, 1979

Biography

FAQ

Quotes

Biography

Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin was an astronomer/astrophysicist of British-American nationality, best known for determining stars' elemental content. She was born in Wendover, England, in 1900, and from early childhood, she wanted to study science, although women were restricted from education during that period. Her mother raised the family after her father's death when she was four years old and ensured that her children received an education. Payne went to St. Paul's Girls' School, and while there, she got to love science, which has become her passion throughout her life. In 1919, she joined Cambridge University, where she heard a lecture by Sir Arthur Eddington about his expedition to prove Einstein's theory of relativity. Then, she decided to become an astronomer.

However, Cambridge did not award degrees to women at the time, so after receiving her fellowship, Payne moved to the United States to the Harvard College Observatory. There, under Harlow Shapley's supervision in 1925, she prepared her doctoral thesis stating that stars mainly comprise hydrogen and helium. Her conclusion was first denied because the scientific community considered it counterintuitive to believe that stars were composed of the same material as the Earth. Nevertheless, Payne's work created a basis for further developments, and after some time, she was credited as one of the pioneers of stellar astrophysics.

During her work, Payne participated in a vast amount of work on variable stars and the stellar atmosphere; she compiled data on millions of stars. She struggled to work as a woman in a man's world. Still, her determination and scientific approach earned her many awards, such as the Annie Jump Cannon Award in Astronomy and the Henry Norris Russell Prize. She was the first woman to chair a department at Harvard University and paved the way for future women scientists.

Payne married Sergei Gaposchkin, a Russian astrophysicist, in 1934, and the two worked together on many research projects. Nevertheless, she was able to have a successful career free from gender discrimination at the time, and she could do her research while she had three children. In addition to her discoveries, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin fought for women's rights in the scientific community and is an essential figure for women in astronomy.

Quotes

'The young scientist is paid off by the feeling that he is the first person in the history of mankind to see or understand something.'

"The stars are like letters in the sky, writing a great and ancient script that we must decipher."

'Science, like life, is always a quest; it is always a search for the truth, even if it is laden with mistakes and misconceptions.'

"It is only by a constant questioning and questioning the questions that are asked that we keep on moving forward."

'It is not the winning that counts but the playing the game to understand it.'

'I understand this: we need to be small enough to admit that we are wrong but big enough to question the obvious.'

"Astronomy is a science of patience and the stars have no time for those who are in a hurry."

'Curiosity is the motivation of science; without it, science will not go forward.'

'Education is one of the most important aspects of life as it is the foundation of human knowledge, a fabric made of millions of threads of observation, thinking, and practice.'

'The space is infinite and our knowledge about it will always be incomplete but that shouldn't prevent us from travelling.'

'They are not just points of light but the universe's testing grounds.'

'Each new finding confirms the strength of people's interests.'

'It is necessary to emphasize that astronomy is the study of the stars, the universe, and our position in it.'

"Science is not about finding the answers but it is about the feeling of the search."

'It is the greatest pleasure one can get in life to be in a position to help explain the universe in any way possible.'

FAQ

What is the significance of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin?

She is best known for her work in finding out that stars are made up of ninety percent of hydrogen and ten percent of helium, a discovery that was groundbreaking in astrophysics.

What was the reason Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin's thesis was rejected at first?

Her thesis was initially rejected because it directly opposed the idea that stars were made from material similar to Earth.

What was the title of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin's doctoral thesis?

Her thesis was titled Stellar Atmospheres: Its Attempt Made to Contribute to the Observational Study of High Temperature in the Reversing Layers of Stars.

Was Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin a victim of gender discrimination in the course of her working career?

Of course, she had many challenges, such as women needing to be permitted to get a degree from Cambridge in the nineteenth century and being ignored in the scientific environment.

Where was most of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin's career spent?

She worked most of her career at Harvard College Observatory and was the first woman to chair a department at Harvard University.

Who persuaded Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin to study astronomy?

Gaseous layers of stars were the topic of her work that helped define astrophysics' future development.

What is one of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin's most significant contributions to science?

Gaseous layers of stars were the topic of her work that helped define astrophysics' future development.

Did Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin get rewarded for her contributions to science?

She was awarded many honors, such as the Annie Jump Cannon Award and the Henry Norris Russell Prize.

What were the implications of Payne-Gaposchkin's work for future studies?

She initially identified the composition of stars, and thus, her work paved the way for stellar astrophysics and variable stars.

Did Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin ever work with other scientists?

She worked with several astronomers, including her husband, Sergei Gaposchkin, to analyze variable stars.

Biography

FAQ

Quotes

Biography

Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin was an astronomer/astrophysicist of British-American nationality, best known for determining stars' elemental content. She was born in Wendover, England, in 1900, and from early childhood, she wanted to study science, although women were restricted from education during that period. Her mother raised the family after her father's death when she was four years old and ensured that her children received an education. Payne went to St. Paul's Girls' School, and while there, she got to love science, which has become her passion throughout her life. In 1919, she joined Cambridge University, where she heard a lecture by Sir Arthur Eddington about his expedition to prove Einstein's theory of relativity. Then, she decided to become an astronomer.

However, Cambridge did not award degrees to women at the time, so after receiving her fellowship, Payne moved to the United States to the Harvard College Observatory. There, under Harlow Shapley's supervision in 1925, she prepared her doctoral thesis stating that stars mainly comprise hydrogen and helium. Her conclusion was first denied because the scientific community considered it counterintuitive to believe that stars were composed of the same material as the Earth. Nevertheless, Payne's work created a basis for further developments, and after some time, she was credited as one of the pioneers of stellar astrophysics.

During her work, Payne participated in a vast amount of work on variable stars and the stellar atmosphere; she compiled data on millions of stars. She struggled to work as a woman in a man's world. Still, her determination and scientific approach earned her many awards, such as the Annie Jump Cannon Award in Astronomy and the Henry Norris Russell Prize. She was the first woman to chair a department at Harvard University and paved the way for future women scientists.

Payne married Sergei Gaposchkin, a Russian astrophysicist, in 1934, and the two worked together on many research projects. Nevertheless, she was able to have a successful career free from gender discrimination at the time, and she could do her research while she had three children. In addition to her discoveries, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin fought for women's rights in the scientific community and is an essential figure for women in astronomy.

Quotes

'The young scientist is paid off by the feeling that he is the first person in the history of mankind to see or understand something.'

"The stars are like letters in the sky, writing a great and ancient script that we must decipher."

'Science, like life, is always a quest; it is always a search for the truth, even if it is laden with mistakes and misconceptions.'

"It is only by a constant questioning and questioning the questions that are asked that we keep on moving forward."

'It is not the winning that counts but the playing the game to understand it.'

'I understand this: we need to be small enough to admit that we are wrong but big enough to question the obvious.'

"Astronomy is a science of patience and the stars have no time for those who are in a hurry."

'Curiosity is the motivation of science; without it, science will not go forward.'

'Education is one of the most important aspects of life as it is the foundation of human knowledge, a fabric made of millions of threads of observation, thinking, and practice.'

'The space is infinite and our knowledge about it will always be incomplete but that shouldn't prevent us from travelling.'

'They are not just points of light but the universe's testing grounds.'

'Each new finding confirms the strength of people's interests.'

'It is necessary to emphasize that astronomy is the study of the stars, the universe, and our position in it.'

"Science is not about finding the answers but it is about the feeling of the search."

'It is the greatest pleasure one can get in life to be in a position to help explain the universe in any way possible.'

FAQ

What is the significance of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin?

She is best known for her work in finding out that stars are made up of ninety percent of hydrogen and ten percent of helium, a discovery that was groundbreaking in astrophysics.

What was the reason Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin's thesis was rejected at first?

Her thesis was initially rejected because it directly opposed the idea that stars were made from material similar to Earth.

What was the title of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin's doctoral thesis?

Her thesis was titled Stellar Atmospheres: Its Attempt Made to Contribute to the Observational Study of High Temperature in the Reversing Layers of Stars.

Was Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin a victim of gender discrimination in the course of her working career?

Of course, she had many challenges, such as women needing to be permitted to get a degree from Cambridge in the nineteenth century and being ignored in the scientific environment.

Where was most of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin's career spent?

She worked most of her career at Harvard College Observatory and was the first woman to chair a department at Harvard University.

Who persuaded Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin to study astronomy?

Gaseous layers of stars were the topic of her work that helped define astrophysics' future development.

What is one of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin's most significant contributions to science?

Gaseous layers of stars were the topic of her work that helped define astrophysics' future development.

Did Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin get rewarded for her contributions to science?

She was awarded many honors, such as the Annie Jump Cannon Award and the Henry Norris Russell Prize.

What were the implications of Payne-Gaposchkin's work for future studies?

She initially identified the composition of stars, and thus, her work paved the way for stellar astrophysics and variable stars.

Did Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin ever work with other scientists?

She worked with several astronomers, including her husband, Sergei Gaposchkin, to analyze variable stars.

Biography

FAQ

Quotes

Biography

Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin was an astronomer/astrophysicist of British-American nationality, best known for determining stars' elemental content. She was born in Wendover, England, in 1900, and from early childhood, she wanted to study science, although women were restricted from education during that period. Her mother raised the family after her father's death when she was four years old and ensured that her children received an education. Payne went to St. Paul's Girls' School, and while there, she got to love science, which has become her passion throughout her life. In 1919, she joined Cambridge University, where she heard a lecture by Sir Arthur Eddington about his expedition to prove Einstein's theory of relativity. Then, she decided to become an astronomer.

However, Cambridge did not award degrees to women at the time, so after receiving her fellowship, Payne moved to the United States to the Harvard College Observatory. There, under Harlow Shapley's supervision in 1925, she prepared her doctoral thesis stating that stars mainly comprise hydrogen and helium. Her conclusion was first denied because the scientific community considered it counterintuitive to believe that stars were composed of the same material as the Earth. Nevertheless, Payne's work created a basis for further developments, and after some time, she was credited as one of the pioneers of stellar astrophysics.

During her work, Payne participated in a vast amount of work on variable stars and the stellar atmosphere; she compiled data on millions of stars. She struggled to work as a woman in a man's world. Still, her determination and scientific approach earned her many awards, such as the Annie Jump Cannon Award in Astronomy and the Henry Norris Russell Prize. She was the first woman to chair a department at Harvard University and paved the way for future women scientists.

Payne married Sergei Gaposchkin, a Russian astrophysicist, in 1934, and the two worked together on many research projects. Nevertheless, she was able to have a successful career free from gender discrimination at the time, and she could do her research while she had three children. In addition to her discoveries, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin fought for women's rights in the scientific community and is an essential figure for women in astronomy.

Quotes

'The young scientist is paid off by the feeling that he is the first person in the history of mankind to see or understand something.'

"The stars are like letters in the sky, writing a great and ancient script that we must decipher."

'Science, like life, is always a quest; it is always a search for the truth, even if it is laden with mistakes and misconceptions.'

"It is only by a constant questioning and questioning the questions that are asked that we keep on moving forward."

'It is not the winning that counts but the playing the game to understand it.'

'I understand this: we need to be small enough to admit that we are wrong but big enough to question the obvious.'

"Astronomy is a science of patience and the stars have no time for those who are in a hurry."

'Curiosity is the motivation of science; without it, science will not go forward.'

'Education is one of the most important aspects of life as it is the foundation of human knowledge, a fabric made of millions of threads of observation, thinking, and practice.'

'The space is infinite and our knowledge about it will always be incomplete but that shouldn't prevent us from travelling.'

'They are not just points of light but the universe's testing grounds.'

'Each new finding confirms the strength of people's interests.'

'It is necessary to emphasize that astronomy is the study of the stars, the universe, and our position in it.'

"Science is not about finding the answers but it is about the feeling of the search."

'It is the greatest pleasure one can get in life to be in a position to help explain the universe in any way possible.'

FAQ

What is the significance of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin?

She is best known for her work in finding out that stars are made up of ninety percent of hydrogen and ten percent of helium, a discovery that was groundbreaking in astrophysics.

What was the reason Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin's thesis was rejected at first?

Her thesis was initially rejected because it directly opposed the idea that stars were made from material similar to Earth.

What was the title of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin's doctoral thesis?

Her thesis was titled Stellar Atmospheres: Its Attempt Made to Contribute to the Observational Study of High Temperature in the Reversing Layers of Stars.

Was Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin a victim of gender discrimination in the course of her working career?

Of course, she had many challenges, such as women needing to be permitted to get a degree from Cambridge in the nineteenth century and being ignored in the scientific environment.

Where was most of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin's career spent?

She worked most of her career at Harvard College Observatory and was the first woman to chair a department at Harvard University.

Who persuaded Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin to study astronomy?

Gaseous layers of stars were the topic of her work that helped define astrophysics' future development.

What is one of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin's most significant contributions to science?

Gaseous layers of stars were the topic of her work that helped define astrophysics' future development.

Did Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin get rewarded for her contributions to science?

She was awarded many honors, such as the Annie Jump Cannon Award and the Henry Norris Russell Prize.

What were the implications of Payne-Gaposchkin's work for future studies?

She initially identified the composition of stars, and thus, her work paved the way for stellar astrophysics and variable stars.

Did Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin ever work with other scientists?

She worked with several astronomers, including her husband, Sergei Gaposchkin, to analyze variable stars.

Life and achievements

Early life

Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin was born in 1900 in Wendover, England, to parents with academic backgrounds. Her father was a barrister and historian, and her mother came from a family of scholars. Since childhood, Cecilia had an excellent inclination toward science, though women were not allowed to get a proper education in this field. Her father died when she was only four, and her mother had to bring up Cecilia and her two siblings alone to ensure that they became education-inclined.

Payne went to St. Paul's Girls' School in London, where she developed her passion for science and the natural world. With the encouragement of the school's headmaster, she started creating her interest in astronomy, although women were expected to pursue more feminine careers during that period. In 1919, she studied physics, chemistry, and botany at Newnham College, Cambridge. However, after listening to a lecture by Sir Arthur Eddington on his expedition to verify Einstein's theory of general relativity, Payne decided to take up astronomy.

Legacy

However, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin's significant contribution is not limited to discovering the chemical composition of stars. Her work focused on investigating stellar atmospheres and transformed scientific views in astrophysics. However, she was initially dismissed as a failure, but her work is now accepted as one of the most brilliant in the given field. Another lesson that can be learned from the story is that even when people are against you, you should stay strong and continue working; Payne's story also shows that women can succeed in science and become professors at such prestigious universities as Harvard.

Her works in variable stars were also the basis of contemporary astrophysics. Through documenting millions of observations, Payne made a reference material that is a reference for research to this date. In addition to her scientific accomplishments, Payne has been honored as a role model for young scientists, especially females. She broke the mold at a time when women were rarely allowed to enter academic and scientific fields, and she was the first woman to chair a department at Harvard University.

Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin's hard work, intelligence, and achievements have made her one of the brightest stars in the history of astronomy.

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Your donation today shapes the future of how families and friends connect.
You will become a featured Ambassador.
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Milestone moments

May 10, 1900

Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin was born in Wendover, Buckinghamshire, England
Cecilia Helena Payne was born to Emma Leonora Pertz Payne and Edward John Payne, a London barrister and historian. She had two siblings, and owing to her family's background in intelligence, she was to make significant scientific discoveries in the future.

The early life of the woman was influenced by her father's death when she was only four years old since her mother had to raise the family alone.
Cecilia's early education was in local schools, but studying at St. Paul's Girls' School in London developed her interest in science.
There, having no opportunities for women in society, she became interested in astronomy, which determined her future occupation.
She was born in an environment rich in intellectual stimuli, which nurtured in her a thirst for knowledge, making her one of the most influential icons in the history of astrophysics.

Jun 1, 1925

Submission of Ph. D. Thesis on Stellar Atmosphere
Cecilia Payne became the first person to earn a Ph. D. in astronomy from Radcliffe College (affiliated with Harvard) with her groundbreaking thesis titled Stellar Atmospheres: A Contribution to the Observational Study of High Temperature in the Reversing Layers of Stars.

For her thesis, she suggested that stars mainly consisted of hydrogen and helium, which was quite the opposite of what most scientists of that era believed.
Although her colleagues did not initially accept her ideas, Payne's hypothesis was eventually proved right, thus making her one of the founders of astrophysics.
This discovery changed the entire look at the composition of stars and paved the way for most of the astrophysical work carried out today.

Jul 1, 1934

Marriage to Sergei Gaposchkin
Cecilia Payne married astrophysicist Sergei Gaposchkin, a Russian-born man, in 1934. The two collaborated on astronomical projects, especially researching variable stars.

Together, they brought a lot of input to understanding stellar behavior, primarily through identifying millions of stars.
It signifies a significant transition in their personal lives and enhances their professional astronomy experiences.
Cecilia was able to overcome the gender biases in academia, and even after her marriage, she was able to pursue her scientific career while being a mother.

Jul 1, 1956

Harvard University's First Female Professor
In 1956, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin became the first woman in history to become a full professor at Harvard University. This promotion also made her the first woman to chair a department at Harvard University, a significant achievement in a male-dominated sector.

Her promotion was a significant point in her career as it signaled that she had significantly impacted astrophysics.
She served as the Chair of the Department of Astronomy at Harvard, where she impacted the university's academic organization and the development of astronomy as a discipline, preparing many future astronomers.

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