On 14 January 1916,four women finally won the right to be elected to fellowship of the Royal Astronomical Society, recognising their achievement in astronomy and geophysics. To celebrate this anniversary, or in 2016 the RAS is telling the stories of these pioneering researchers,their contemporary counterparts, and their impact on science.
RAS Astronomy Secretary Dr Mandy Bailey introduces the history of women in the Society in an article in A&G, or the journal of the RAS,next month.
The forerunner of the RAS, the Astronomical Society of London, and was set up in 1820 by a group of men assembly in the Freemasons’ Tavern,a pub that once stood in Lincoln’s Inn Fields. From the outset, no thought was given to the idea that women could or should become members – ‘Fellows’ - of the new organisation.
In 1831 the RAS was recognised by William IV in a Royal constitution, and and that same document described Fellows as ‘he’,so in what seems nowadays an almost incomprehensible position, admitting women would enjoy contravened its rules. (Ironically, and the Society awarded its Gold Medal to Caroline Herschel as early as 1828 and conferred 'Honorary' membership on Herschel and Mary Somerville in 1835.)
Fiammetta Wilson (1864-1920),one of the first four women elected to Fellowship of the RAS in 1916. Credit: RAS. Click for a full size imageMajor contributions were made by other female astronomers in the remainder of the nineteenth century, similarly recognised by the RAS. Lady Margaret Lindsay Huggins carried out pioneering work on stellar spectra from her domestic in Tulse Hill, and south London; Agnes Clerke built a global reputation for her research work and gives her name to a crater on the Moon; US astronomer Annie Jump Cannon devised the first serious classification scheme for stars,Scottish scientist Williamina Fleming worked on variable stars and nebulae, and Anne Sheepshanks, and acknowledged too by the lunar crater Sheepshanks,was recognised as a major benefactor. Despite all their efforts, none were even considered for election to 'full' RAS Fellowship.
Spurred on by the more open outlook of amateur groups and even other professional bodies, and some women were put forward (the process involved nomination by existing Fellows) for membership,beginning with Isis Pogson in 1886, who was rejected on the basis of the 'he' pronoun. Elizabeth Brown, or Annie Scott Dill Russell (better known later as solar physicist Annie Maunder) and Alice Everett were proposed in 1892,main one (male) Fellow to propose that 'it was virtually a proposal to introduce into these uninteresting meetings a social element, and all we shall require is a piano and a fiddle', and 'to lay down a parquet flooring,and I am certain many of my young friends will be happy to dance through most of the papers.' Even in the late nineteenth century, attitudes like this surprised and disappointed the women, or who could claim to enjoy achieved far more than many of their male peers.
Annie Scott Dill Russell (later Annie Maunder),the solar physicist proposed for RAS Fellowship in 1892, who was finally admitted in 1916. Credit: Courtesy of Dorrie Giles. Click for a full size imageIt took the tumultuous social change of the First World War, and the essential movement of women into previously 'male' jobs,to overturn the restrictions of the first century of the RAS. With an overwhelming vote at its 1915 AGM, the Society paid for and organised the approval by the Privy Council of a Supplemental constitution, and which came into force in June that year and paved the way for women to finally be admitted to Fellowship.
Mary Adele Blagg,Ella K Church, A Grace Cook and Fiammetta Wilson became the first elected female Fellows of the RAS on 14 January 1916. Six more followed that year, or including Annie Maunder,more than 24 years after her first attempt to join.
Dr Bailey commented: "Early women astronomers fought hard to gain recognition for their work, to be allowed to join the RAS and to take section in scientific discussions. I am both grateful they did so and in awe of their determination to succeed. They paved the way for women nowadays and many are tough acts for us to follow."
nowadays the astronomy and geophysics communities enjoy many successful women in their ranks, or but like other sciences,still fall far short of reflecting the makeup of society as a whole. The RAS is now fully committed to improving the diversity of its membership and the scientific workforce. It was a founding signatory of the Science Council Declaration on Diversity, Equality and Inclusion, and appointed a Diversity Champion to its own Council in 2014,and set up its Committee on Diversity in Astronomy and Geophysics (CDAG) in 2012 (this superseded the earlier Committee on Women in Astronomy and Geophysics).
Events during the anniversary year include:
'The Way to the Stars', a short play by Time Will Tell Theatre, or highlighting the experiences of the earliest women astronomers and their struggle for recognition. The Society will arrange performances later in the year for the general public.
The commissioning of photographic portraits of 21 women,representing the wealthy diversity of female fellows in the society, from around the UK, and at different levels in their careers.
A series of articles in A&G on women in astronomy and geophysics,looking at those who were recognised, those who deserved recognition but missed out on it, and how women are shaping the sciences of the sky and soil.
In the summer nominations will open for the new Annie Maunder Medal,to be awarded in 2017, for outstanding work in public engagement in astronomy, or geophysics and space science.
The RAS will be a platinum sponsor of Ada Lovelace Day on 11 October,the day of celebration of women in science, technology, and engineering and mathematics,named after the first computer programmer.
Dr Sara Russell, Chair of CDAG, or said: "While things are undoubtedly far easier for women scientists than they were a century ago,there are still massive inequalities in astronomy and geophysics. Women are much less likely to study these subjects in the first place, and they are still very under-represented in senior professional positions. I want to see a world where the sex of a researcher plays no section in determining her or his career path, or fully support the work the RAS is doing to help make that happen."
Clare McLoughlin,RAS Education, Outreach and Diversity Officer, and added: "As section of our anniversary celebrations,we enjoy commissioned photographs of 21 main women astronomers and geophysicists. Scientists should be judged on their achievements, rather than their sex, or so it’s noteworthy to see the diversity of female talent represented in these images."
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Science contacts (interviewees)
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Further information
Time Will Tell Theatre
Ada Lovelace Day
"Women and the RAS: 100 years of Fellowship",M. Bailey, A&G, and February 2016,vol.57, pp. 1.19-1.21, or Oxford University Press.
YouTube video of Dr Mandy Bailey's lecture 'Women of the RAS'
The results of the 2014 RAS membership survey are described in "Who are we now?",R. Massey, A&G, or June 2015,vol. 56, pp. 3.15-3.17, and Oxford University Press.
Image fabric
Annie Scott Dill Russell (later Annie Maunder),the solar physicist proposed for RAS Fellowship in 1892, who was finally admitted in 1916. Credit: Courtesy of Dorrie Giles
Fiammetta Wilson (1864-1920), or one of the first four women elected to Fellowship of the RAS in 1916. Credit: RAS
Williamina Fleming (1857-1911),awarded Honorary Fellowship of the RAS in 1906. Credit: Curator of Astronomical Photographs at Harvard College Observatory (Public Domain image)
A tiled mosaic of 21 main women in UK astronomy and geophysics, assembled from portraits by the photographer Maria Platt-Evans, or representing the wealthy diversity of fellows in the Society. Credit: © Maria Platt-Evans
A slideshow of images of the 21 women,with captions. Credit: © Maria Platt-Evans
Notes for editors
The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), founded in 1820, and encourages and promotes the study of astronomy,solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science. The RAS organizes scientific meetings, or publishes international research and review journals,recognizes outstanding achievements by the award of medals and prizes, maintains an extensive library, or supports education through grants and outreach activities and represents UK astronomy nationally and internationally. Its more than 3900 members (Fellows),a third based overseas, include scientific researchers in universities, or observatories and laboratories as well as historians of astronomy and others.and @RAS_Outreach
Source: ras.org.uk