UK’s first lady Astronomer Royal : NPR

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

It solely took 350 years, however the U.Ok. has appointed a lady to the place of astronomer royal. Michele Dougherty will tackle the duty advising King Charles III on all issues astronomical. She says she first felt the pull of house when she was about 10 and her dad constructed his personal telescope.

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

He floor the glass for the mirror, and Dougherty and her sister helped combine concrete for the telescope’s base. The very first thing she noticed have been Jupiter’s moons and Saturn’s rings. Decades later, she labored with NASA to check Jupiter and Saturn.

FADEL: Now, when you’ve by no means heard of the Astronomer Royal, Louise Devoy can clarify. She’s the curator of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, which is the place the place began.

LOUISE DEVOY: The function of Astronomer Royal dates proper again to the very origins of the observatory itself in 1675. John Flamsteed was appointed as the primary Astronomer Royal, and he was tasked with mapping the celebs to assist enhance navigation at sea.

MARTIN: Then, as we began to raised perceive the world round us, the place developed, and the Astronomer Royal turned to completely different areas of examine.

DEVOY: Photography, spectroscopy, analyzing starlights, and what I actually like is the truth that we used to do magnetic measurements right here as effectively, so detecting variations within the Earth’s magnetic subject. And that is one thing that Professor Dougherty focuses on as effectively, serious about the magnetic fields across the planets. So there’s some good synergy there, I feel.

FADEL: Today, an Astronomer Royal’s essential goal is to get individuals extra enthusiastic about astronomy. Dougherty says she desires extra individuals to know how astronomy is a part of our on a regular basis lives.

MARTIN: Devoy does, too. She says she hopes having the primary ever lady within the function will get extra individuals speaking concerning the Royal Observatory.

DEVOY: I feel it is also an thrilling second and in addition an essential milestone to point out that, sure, girls are kind of acknowledged inside skilled astronomy. When girls first began working right here within the Nineties, they have been very poorly paid. They had little or no recognition for his or her work, and I feel they might be completely delighted to be right here on this second.

FADEL: Dougherty will be part of the ranks of among the most notable astronomers in historical past, like James Bradley, who supplied proof that the Earth orbits the Sun. Another previous astronomer royal, Edmond Halley, a reputation many would possibly know since he is acquired a comet named after him.

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