CAROLINE HERSCHEL

Caroline Lucretia Herschel was born on March 16, 1750, in Hanover, Germany. She moved to England with her brother, Sir William Herschel, in 1772. She studied singing and they performed together until 1782. When William became increasingly interested in astronomy, transforming himself from a musician to an astronomer, Caroline again supported his efforts. She assisted him and conducted her own research, detecting comets and cataloging stars, including those previously omitted from the accepted British Catalogue.

Her most significant contributions to astronomy were the discoveries of several comets and in particular the periodic comet 35P/Herschel-Rigollet, which bears her name. She was the first woman to be paid for her contribution to science, to be awarded a Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society and to be named an Honorary Member of the Royal Astronomical Society.

We have chosen this scientist woman because even if she is not as famous as others like Marie Curie, she did some very important discoveries in astronomy and we can’t help thinking that she must be recognised.