# Caroline Furness

Caroline Ellen Furness (June 24, 1869 – February 9, 1936) was an American astronomer, professor at Vassar College, and director of the Vassar College Observatory from 1911 to 1936, when she died and was succeeded by Maud Worcester Makemson. Furness was elected in 1899 a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

## Quotes

* At the present time we employ a lunar eclipse for making certain observations which can best be made then, and for other work which is not possible at another time. The most important work, and one which demands the coöperation of observatories at widely distant places, is the observation of occultations. These occur at other times, but only the brighter stars can be followed to the Moon's limb and such stars are not frequent in its path. During an eclipse, however, stars down to the eleventh magnitude are easily followed until they disappear, and any star whose position is accurately determned is available. If an Observatory has undertaken the investigation of the Moon's place, it takes advantage of a total eclipse and prepares a list of stars which are to be occulted at other distant observatoreis, and sends a circular requesting observations. Such a circular was issued by the Imperial Observatory at Kasan, Russia, for the eclipse of March 10th. The time of an occultation is much less difficult to determine than a contact of an eclipse. The Moon has no atmosphere, so that the star disappears instantaneously.
** (1895). "Scientific value of a total lunar eclipse". Popular Astronomy 3: 109–114. (quote from pp. 110–111)
* Tycho did not accept the Copernican system but evolved one of his own in which he makes the planets revolve about the Sun, but the Sun carries them with itself about the Earth. Part of his observations he reduced himself, publishing among other things a book on the new star of 1572, one on comets, and one on the lunar theory, and an important star catalogue. He had planned several other valuable works, but his early death cut short his projects. He was the first to perceive the importance of applying refraction to observations. He improved the values of the Sun's and Moon's perigee, he discovered two variations in the Moon's longitude in addition to those already known, and one in latitude. In short he improved many values which depended on accurate observation for their determination.
** (1896). "Tycho Brahe". Popular Astronomy 3: 221–226. (quote from p. 224)
* A variable star is one that undergoes a change in brightness. With some stars the change is as great as four or even six magnitudes, while with others it may be only one magnitude, and in some cases as small as half a magnitude. This change in brightness is observed by comparing the light of the variable with the light of some standard star which is assumed to be constant in brightness, the comparison being made either directly, or through the medium of some sort of artificial star.
** An Introduction to the Study of Variable Stars. Vassar semi-centennial series. Houghton Mifflin. 1915. p. 3.
* At the Paris Observatory we met Dr. Loewy, the Director, but were especially pleased to see Dorothea Klumpke who had made suck a name for herself by her work on Saturn's rings. She was in charge of the reduction of the Paris astrographic plates, and we were interested to compare her computing bureau with the one at Columbia. She offered to escort us to Meudon to visit the venerable Janssen, and invitation which we were delighted to accept. We were charmed with picturesque dwelling, made from the stables of the old chateau, with its low-ceiled rooms and quaint winding passages. They made a fascinating setting for the indomitable old Frenchman, who in spite of his eighty years, was planning to make another ascent of Mont Blanc that summer, even if he had to be carried to the summit in a chair. He also asked many questions about the college in America where young girls studied mathematical astronomy.
** (1923). "Mary W. Whitney". Popular Astronomy 31: 25–35. (quote from p. 30)

## Quotes about Caroline Furness

* Mary Whitney … established a student-based research program at Vassar, focusing on observations of comets, asteroids, and, after Nova Persei 1901, on variable stars. … In 1906 she developed an undergraduate course on variable stars, probably the first in the world, on which Caroline Furness based her 1915 textbook.
** Kristine Larsen, entry: Mary Watson Whitney (1847–1921), p. 87 in: Williams, Thomas R. & Saladyga, Michael (eds.) (2015). "Some Personalities from Variable Star History". Journal of the American Association of Variable Star Observers (JAAVSO) 43 (1): 86–101.
* After completing her A.B. and A.M. degrees as a student of astronomer Mary Whitney at Vassar College, Caroline Furness became the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in astronomy at Columbia (1900). She collaborated with Whitney as her assistant between 1909 and 1911, each sending their variable star observations to Harvard College Observatory. A member of the AAVSO from 1911, Furness succeeded Whitney in 1913, and prepared for publication a volume of variable star observations made at Vassar from 1901 to 1912. In 1915 she authored the well-received An Introduction to the Study of Variable Stars.
** Kristine Larsen, entry: Caroline Ellen Furness (1869–1936), p. 88 in: Williams, Thomas R. & Saladyga, Michael (eds.) (2015). "Some Personalities from Variable Star History". Journal of the American Association of Variable Star Observers (JAAVSO) 43 (1): 86–101.

## External links

* Encyclopedic article on Caroline Furness on Wikipedia
* Caroline E. Furness '1891. Vassar Encyclopedia.