Margaret Burbidge
Encyclopedia
Eleanor Margaret Burbidge, née Peachey, FRS (born August 12, 1919 Davenport
) is a British-born American astrophysicist, noted for original research and holding many administrative posts, including director of the Royal Greenwich Observatory.
During her career, she served at the University of London
Observatory, Yerkes Observatory
of the University of Chicago
, Cavendish Laboratory
in Cambridge, England, the California Institute of Technology
, and from 1979 to 1988 was first director of the Center for Astronomy and Space Sciences at the University of California at San Diego (UCSD)
, where she has worked since 1962.
, which was reserved for men only at that time.
In 1950, she applied for a grant at the Yerkes Observatory
in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, and went to the United States in 1951. She went back to England in 1953 and started research in collaboration with her husband Geoffrey Burbidge
, Fred Hoyle
and William Alfred Fowler
. The resulting theory was called the B2FH theory after the participants.
After ten years, in 1955, she finally gained access to the Mount Wilson Observatory, posing as her husband's assistant. When the management found out, they eventually agreed that she could stay, if she and her husband went to live in a separate cottage on the grounds rather than using the men's dormitory.
Her 1972 directorship of the Royal Greenwich Observatory was also the first time in 300 years that that directorship was not associated with the post of the Astronomer Royal
, which was given to radio astronomer and later Nobel prize
winner Martin Ryle
instead. She left this post in 1974, fifteen months after accepting it, when controversy broke out over moving the telescope in the Observatory to a more useful location.
Experiences such as these turned Burbidge into one of the foremost and most influential personalities in the fight to end discrimination of women in astronomy. Consequently, in 1972 she turned down the Annie J. Cannon Award
of the American Astronomical Society
because it was awarded to women only: "It is high time that discrimination in favor of, as well as against, women in professional life be removed". Twelve years later the Society awarded her its highest honor, regardless of gender, the Henry Norris Russell Lectureship
.
In 1976, she became president of the American Astronomy society. In 1977, became a United States citizen. In 1983 she was elected president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
; she has also served as vice-president and president of the American Astronomical Society.
In 2003, Burbidge was elected into the Women's Museum of California's Hall of Fame honoring her career and achievements.
, a theoretical astrophysicist. Their daughter Sarah was born in late 1956. Geoffrey Burbidge died in 2010.
by linking a spectrograph
to telescope
s. At the Yerkes Observatory in the USA her work involved studying B star
s and galaxy structure.
In 1957, the B2FH group showed the famous result that all of the elements
except the very lightest are produced by nuclear
processes inside stars. For this they received the Warner Prize in 1959. In her later research she was one of the first to measure the masses and rotation curves of galaxies and was one of the pioneers in the study of quasars.
At UCSD she also helped develop the faint object spectrograph in 1990 for the Hubble Space Telescope
. Currently, she is a professor emeritus of physics at UCSD and continues to be active in research, such as engaging in non-standard cosmologies like intrinsic redshift.
Named after her
Davenport, Greater Manchester
Davenport is a district of Stockport, Greater Manchester in the North West region of England.- History :Davenport's name arose from the building of Davenport railway station at the behest of the Davenport family who since the later 14th century had owned nearby Bramall Hall in the neighbouring...
) is a British-born American astrophysicist, noted for original research and holding many administrative posts, including director of the Royal Greenwich Observatory.
During her career, she served at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
Observatory, Yerkes Observatory
Yerkes Observatory
Yerkes Observatory is an astronomical observatory operated by the University of Chicago in Williams Bay, Wisconsin. The observatory, which calls itself "the birthplace of modern astrophysics," was founded in 1897 by George Ellery Hale and financed by Charles T. Yerkes...
of the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, Cavendish Laboratory
Cavendish Laboratory
The Cavendish Laboratory is the Department of Physics at the University of Cambridge, and is part of the university's School of Physical Sciences. It was opened in 1874 as a teaching laboratory....
in Cambridge, England, the California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
, and from 1979 to 1988 was first director of the Center for Astronomy and Space Sciences at the University of California at San Diego (UCSD)
University of California, San Diego
The University of California, San Diego, commonly known as UCSD or UC San Diego, is a public research university located in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California, United States...
, where she has worked since 1962.
Career
Burbidge started studying astronomy in 1936, at University College, London, graduated in 1939 and received her PhD, at University College in 1943. She was turned down for a Carnegie Fellowship in 1945 because this fellowship would have meant that she would have had to observe at Mount Wilson observatoryMount Wilson (California)
Mount Wilson is one of the better known peaks in the San Gabriel Mountains, part of the Angeles National Forest in Los Angeles County, California. It is the location of the Mount Wilson Observatory and has become the astronomical center of Southern California with and telescopes, and and tall...
, which was reserved for men only at that time.
In 1950, she applied for a grant at the Yerkes Observatory
Yerkes Observatory
Yerkes Observatory is an astronomical observatory operated by the University of Chicago in Williams Bay, Wisconsin. The observatory, which calls itself "the birthplace of modern astrophysics," was founded in 1897 by George Ellery Hale and financed by Charles T. Yerkes...
in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, and went to the United States in 1951. She went back to England in 1953 and started research in collaboration with her husband Geoffrey Burbidge
Geoffrey Burbidge
Geoffrey Ronald Burbidge FRS was an English astronomy professor, most recently at the University of California, San Diego. He was married to astrophysicist Dr. Margaret Burbidge.-Education:...
, Fred Hoyle
Fred Hoyle
Sir Fred Hoyle FRS was an English astronomer and mathematician noted primarily for his contribution to the theory of stellar nucleosynthesis and his often controversial stance on other cosmological and scientific matters—in particular his rejection of the "Big Bang" theory, a term originally...
and William Alfred Fowler
William Alfred Fowler
William Alfred "Willy" Fowler was an American astrophysicist and winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1983. He should not be confused with the British astronomer Alfred Fowler....
. The resulting theory was called the B2FH theory after the participants.
After ten years, in 1955, she finally gained access to the Mount Wilson Observatory, posing as her husband's assistant. When the management found out, they eventually agreed that she could stay, if she and her husband went to live in a separate cottage on the grounds rather than using the men's dormitory.
Her 1972 directorship of the Royal Greenwich Observatory was also the first time in 300 years that that directorship was not associated with the post of the Astronomer Royal
Astronomer Royal
Astronomer Royal is a senior post in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. There are two officers, the senior being the Astronomer Royal dating from 22 June 1675; the second is the Astronomer Royal for Scotland dating from 1834....
, which was given to radio astronomer and later Nobel prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
winner Martin Ryle
Martin Ryle
Sir Martin Ryle was an English radio astronomer who developed revolutionary radio telescope systems and used them for accurate location and imaging of weak radio sources...
instead. She left this post in 1974, fifteen months after accepting it, when controversy broke out over moving the telescope in the Observatory to a more useful location.
Experiences such as these turned Burbidge into one of the foremost and most influential personalities in the fight to end discrimination of women in astronomy. Consequently, in 1972 she turned down the Annie J. Cannon Award
Annie J. Cannon Award in Astronomy
The Annie Jump Cannon Award in Astronomy is awarded annually by the American Astronomical Society to a woman resident of North America, who is within five years of receipt of a Ph.D., for distinguished contributions to astronomy or for similar contributions in related sciences which have immediate...
of the American Astronomical Society
American Astronomical Society
The American Astronomical Society is an American society of professional astronomers and other interested individuals, headquartered in Washington, DC...
because it was awarded to women only: "It is high time that discrimination in favor of, as well as against, women in professional life be removed". Twelve years later the Society awarded her its highest honor, regardless of gender, the Henry Norris Russell Lectureship
Henry Norris Russell Lectureship
The Henry Norris Russell Lectureship is awarded each year by the American Astronomical Society in recognition of a lifetime of excellence in astronomical research.-Previous lecturers:This list of lecturers is from the American Astronomical Society's website....
.
In 1976, she became president of the American Astronomy society. In 1977, became a United States citizen. In 1983 she was elected president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
; she has also served as vice-president and president of the American Astronomical Society.
In 2003, Burbidge was elected into the Women's Museum of California's Hall of Fame honoring her career and achievements.
Family
On April 2, 1948, she married Geoffrey BurbidgeGeoffrey Burbidge
Geoffrey Ronald Burbidge FRS was an English astronomy professor, most recently at the University of California, San Diego. He was married to astrophysicist Dr. Margaret Burbidge.-Education:...
, a theoretical astrophysicist. Their daughter Sarah was born in late 1956. Geoffrey Burbidge died in 2010.
Scientific achievements
After receiving her PhD in 1943, she started to research galaxiesGalaxy
A galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system that consists of stars and stellar remnants, an interstellar medium of gas and dust, and an important but poorly understood component tentatively dubbed dark matter. The word galaxy is derived from the Greek galaxias , literally "milky", a...
by linking a spectrograph
Spectrograph
A spectrograph is an instrument that separates an incoming wave into a frequency spectrum. There are several kinds of machines referred to as spectrographs, depending on the precise nature of the waves...
to telescope
Telescope
A telescope is an instrument that aids in the observation of remote objects by collecting electromagnetic radiation . The first known practical telescopes were invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 1600s , using glass lenses...
s. At the Yerkes Observatory in the USA her work involved studying B star
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
s and galaxy structure.
In 1957, the B2FH group showed the famous result that all of the elements
Chemical element
A chemical element is a pure chemical substance consisting of one type of atom distinguished by its atomic number, which is the number of protons in its nucleus. Familiar examples of elements include carbon, oxygen, aluminum, iron, copper, gold, mercury, and lead.As of November 2011, 118 elements...
except the very lightest are produced by nuclear
Nuclear physics
Nuclear physics is the field of physics that studies the building blocks and interactions of atomic nuclei. The most commonly known applications of nuclear physics are nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons technology, but the research has provided application in many fields, including those...
processes inside stars. For this they received the Warner Prize in 1959. In her later research she was one of the first to measure the masses and rotation curves of galaxies and was one of the pioneers in the study of quasars.
At UCSD she also helped develop the faint object spectrograph in 1990 for the Hubble Space Telescope
Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope is a space telescope that was carried into orbit by a Space Shuttle in 1990 and remains in operation. A 2.4 meter aperture telescope in low Earth orbit, Hubble's four main instruments observe in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared...
. Currently, she is a professor emeritus of physics at UCSD and continues to be active in research, such as engaging in non-standard cosmologies like intrinsic redshift.
Honors
Awards- Helen B. Warner Prize for AstronomyHelen B. Warner Prize for AstronomyThe Helen B. Warner Prize for Astronomy is awarded annually by the American Astronomical Society to a young astronomer for a significant contribution to observational or theoretical astronomy....
, with her husband (1959) - Catherine Wolfe Bruce medalBruce MedalThe Catherine Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal is awarded every year by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific for outstanding lifetime contributions to astronomy. It is named after Catherine Wolfe Bruce, an American patroness of astronomy, and was first awarded in 1898...
of the Astronomical Society of the PacificAstronomical Society of the PacificThe Astronomical Society of the Pacific is a scientific and educational organization, founded in San Francisco on February 7, 1889. Its name derives from its origins on the Pacific Coast, but today it has members all over the country and the world...
(1982) - National Medal of ScienceNational Medal of ScienceThe National Medal of Science is an honor bestowed by the President of the United States to individuals in science and engineering who have made important contributions to the advancement of knowledge in the fields of behavioral and social sciences, biology, chemistry, engineering, mathematics and...
(1983) - Henry Norris Russell LectureshipHenry Norris Russell LectureshipThe Henry Norris Russell Lectureship is awarded each year by the American Astronomical Society in recognition of a lifetime of excellence in astronomical research.-Previous lecturers:This list of lecturers is from the American Astronomical Society's website....
(1984) - Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical SocietyGold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society-History:In the early years, more than one medal was often awarded in a year, but by 1833 only one medal was being awarded per year. This caused a problem when Neptune was discovered in 1846, because many felt an award should jointly be made to John Couch Adams and Urbain Le Verrier...
, with her husband (2005)
Named after her
- AsteroidAsteroidAsteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
5490 Burbidge5490 Burbidge5490 Burbidge is a main-belt asteroid discovered on September 24, 1960 by Cornelis Johannes van Houten, Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld and Tom Gehrels at Palomar Observatory.- External links :*...
External links
- Autobiography in 1994 Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Biography from the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
- Article from the UCSD Times
- Short biography
- Personal web page
- Personal web page at UCSD physics
- Oral History interview transcript with Margaret Burbidge 13 July 1978, American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library and Archives
- The President's National Medal of Science Recipients