Impact on Women in Science
Through her incredible success in astronomy, Cecilia Payne paved the way for many other aspiring women scientists.
Joan Feynman
Joan Feynman is a former scientist at NASA who studied solar wind particles and was greatly influenced by Payne-Gaposchkin's work.
One of her friends "presented her with a book called Astronomy. ' It was a college textbook... When I reached page 407, I came across a graph that changed my life.' My mother [Joan] shuts her eyes and recites from memory: 'Relative strengths of the Mg+ absorption line at 4,481 angstroms . . . from Stellar Atmospheres by Cecilia Payne.' Cecilia Payne! It was scientific proof that a woman was capable of writing a book that, in turn, was quoted in a text. The secret was out, you see" (Hirshberg).
Joan Feynman [Image Courtesy NASA].
Impact Today
"Young people, especially young women often ask me for advice. Here it is, Valeat Quantum. Do not undertake a scientific career with a quest for fame or money. There are easier and better ways to reach them. Undertake it only if nothing else will satisfy you; for nothing else is probably what you will receive. Your reward will be the widening of your horizon as you climb. And if you achieve that reward you will ask for no other"
~ Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin
Cecilia paved the way for future women in science by breaking barriers in gender norms and expectations. Her actions proved her an inspiration for women to enter science fields like astronomy, showcased by the dramatic increase of the percentage of women in STEM fields since 1970.
Scientific Influence
Nowdays, it is common knowledge that the stars are made of hydrogen and helium. Even children learn it at a young age.
"Stars are giant spheres of superhot gas made up mostly of hydrogen and helium"
~Ducksters, an educational site for kids
Images of Childrens Educational Websites talking about the stars being made of Hydrgoen and Helium
Many other discoveries and papers were made using Payne-Gaposchkin's work, showing the incredible influence her discoveries have on us even today.
Quarterly Journal [Image Courtesy SAO/NASA Astrohphysics Data System]
These other studies of variable stars use the frequency spectrum the Payne invented and the same method of photographic research of variable stars and Payne and her husband pioneered
"The frequency spectrum shows significant variations from night to night, amplitudes in this case may change noticeably" (Hughes)
"The spectrum prior to the outburst was seen on sane objective - prism photographs" (Hughes)
Cecilia Payne-Gaposhckin's discovery broke barriers in scientific beliefs and completely changed the feild of astronomy. Her discovery pioneered our current understanding of the universe and led to many future discoveries in astronomy.
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