The sun., 1903-12-06
WOMEN ASTRONOMERS.
Talk with One in England who Shares Her
Hustsud's Fame.
From the London Daily Neps.

One OF the most prominent of to-days
scientists is Lady Hugglns, the wiie OF tns
president Of the Royal Society. whose WoIk
In astronomy will descend to posterity with
that of Caroline Herschel md Mary somer-
vile. Both these ladies received. az some
slight appreciation OF their work. election
as honorary members Of the Royal Astronomi-
cal Society. and this year, sixty-elght years
after, the Royal Astronomical Society mas
seen at to honor, In similar fashion yet two
other women, Lady Huggins and Miss Agnes
Cerke. The formers fame VIII inevitably
be linked with that of her husband. whose
work includes the foundation OF science:
that OF astrophysics. on the problems OF
which hundreds of earnest inauirers are at
present intent
As a mere child, Lady Huggns. who is
OF Irish birth, became devoted TO the study
OF the stars. going out at night with dark
lantern and star atlas to learn the story OF
the heavens. During the day. too. she was
no less indefati gable, examining the sun
with her own ingeniously made apparatus
and working at chemical experiments. ana
all this in spite Of no ouragement.
The young girl had then some knowledge
and skill when, In 1875 she married DR.. Hug
gins. A part of Sir williams brilliant later
success has been due to the aid OF his clever
wife.
The home at Tulse Hill has the addition OF
an important observatory, which Is entirely
a private one. although the telescopes therein
have been loaned by the Royal Society
Divided into physical and Photographic
laboratories, and fitted UP with electrical
ARRANGEMENTS OF latest pattern. the building
is eminently adapted to research purposes.
Lady Hugglns was good enough to explain
their working to the Daily Ners interviewer
I'm fine weather it is our custom" she
said, "to come here every night TO make OBJ
servations. and 1t is here that we do our
work" Remembering all that she has ac-
complished In her particular line OF work,
the interlocutor asked Lady Huggins whether
in her view there was any general astrohomi-
cal opening for women.
Speaking candidly." she replied. Il really
do not consider there is a career for women
In connection with astronomy here For
one reason, there are SO few obServatories;
and that means limited opportunities. My
own connection with the science. must tell
you, is entirely n private one. as act with
my husband, Some years ago an attempt
was made to employ women at Greenwich.
but for some cause or another the movement
came to an end, and. SO far as l know, there
is no intention Of renewing the experiment.
Therefore, as l say. any women who may
be engaged In astronomical work in this
country are either connected quite unoHl-
cially with an observatory or else devote
themselves to astronomical history. which
means their being in no sense practical or
observation astronomers No. there is GER
tainly no field open to women in this direction
in England since the only observatory which
did employ their services no longer does so,
"In America, however. there is some OPP
portunity for women-at Harvard University.
where Prof. Pickering has established quite
a large bureau for women employees. They
do not. however. undertake any observation
work. their duties lying entirely with photo
graphic plates, which they have to examine.
compare and report upon. This occupation
has grtwn into quite department-and
very valuable one. too-having, am pleased
to say. a woman at its head.
May ask il you yourself have made any
dlscoverles?"
-No, l have not and may say deliberately
that that has never been my aim My object
has always been to assist Sir William, and
jointly with him do make discoveries and
we have in conjunction done much original
work. From 1887 have had joint authorship
In my husbands papers. and all our publica-
tions to the learned societies, as well as
hrge atlas. have been our combined labor
Still, although my principal work has been
TO assist my husband. ] have worked very
hard and quite independently.
MY separate work has included much
measurement and examination of photo
graphs-as at Harvard. This last summer
we have been eng ged on rddiun. and have
accomplished some important work on this
subject, bringing yet another Of Its mysteries
70 light: namely. that this body at quite ordi-
nary temperatures is capable of making
nitrogen give a bright line spectrum--the
first time such thing has been known.
II am quite sure" continued Lady Hug
Women are very specially qualified TO make
good astronomical observers. for their sight
Is very good. and there is less color bin dness
people must be born observers they need
making also. and no one can hope TO be
good observer without years of patience
with highly cultivated memory, which is
most mnOrtant