Maria Mitchell
1818 – 1889

Maria Mitchell

American astronomer

university teacherlibrarianwriternaturalistastronomer
Born
1818-08-01, Nantucket
Died
1889-06-29
Birthplace state
Massachusetts

Biography

Maria Mitchell was an American astronomer, librarian, naturalist, and educator. In 1847, she discovered a comet named 1847 VI that was later known as "Miss Mitchell's Comet" in her honor. She won a gold medal prize for her discovery, which was presented to her by King Christian VIII of Denmark in 1848. Mitchell was the first internationally known woman to work as both a professional astronomer and a professor of astronomy after accepting a position at Vassar College in 1865. She was also the first woman elected Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Occupation

Maria Mitchell is recorded as a university teacher, a librarian, a writer, a naturalist and a astronomer, born in Massachusetts (1818–1889).

Connections to Massachusetts

Maria Mitchell was born in Nantucket, Massachusetts in 1818. Explore other notable figures from Massachusetts, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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Native Heritage
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More notable figures from Massachusetts

Other historical figures born in Massachusetts, ranked by historical prominence.

John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
president of the United States from 1961 to 1963 (1917–1963)
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
American writer and literary critic (1809–1849)
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
American polymath and statesman (1706–1790)
George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
president of the United States from 1989 to 1993 (1924-2018)
John Adams
John Adams
Founding Father, U.S. president from 1797 to 1801
John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams
President of the United States from 1825 to 1829
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson
American philosopher (1803–1882)

Frequently asked about Maria Mitchell

Who was Maria Mitchell?
Maria Mitchell was American astronomer, born in Massachusetts (1818 – 1889).
When and where was Maria Mitchell born?
Maria Mitchell was born on 1818-08-01 in Nantucket.
When did Maria Mitchell die?
Maria died on 1889-06-29.
What was Maria Mitchell known for?
Maria Mitchell is recorded as a university teacher, a librarian, a writer, a naturalist and a astronomer.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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