Mary Proctor was an American popularizer of astronomy.

She was born in Dublin, Ireland, the daughter of Mary and Richard Proctor

Richard Anthony Proctor

Richard Anthony Proctor was an English astronomer.He is best remembered for having produced one of the earliest maps of Mars in 1867 from 27 drawings by the English observer William Rutter Dawes....

. They emigrated to the United States in 1882. Her father was a British popularizer of astronomy, and she gained her knowledge of the subject from him. She authored many articles for newspapers and journals, and wrote a number of popular books.

The crater Proctor

Proctor (lunar crater)

Proctor is the remnant of a lunar crater that is located to the southeast of the prominent crater Tycho. It lies just to the north of the huge walled plain Maginus. To the north is the crater Saussure and to the northwest, just to the east of Tycho, lies Pictet. Proctor is 52 kilometers in diameter...

 on the Moon

Moon

The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...

 was named after her. (The crater Proctor on Mars

Mars

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...

was named after her father.)