Annie Scott Dill Maunder
Encyclopedia
Annie Scott Dill Maunder, née Russell (April 14, 1868 – September 15, 1947) was an Irish
astronomer and mathematician.
She was born in Strabane
, County Tyrone
, Ireland
to William Andrew Russell and Hessy Nesbitt Dill. Her father was the minister of the Presbyterian Church in Strabane until 1882.
Annie received her secondary education at the Ladies Collegiate School in Belfast
. Winning a prize in an 1886 intermediate school examination, she was able to sit the Girton open entrance scholarship examination, and was awarded a three year scholarship. She studied at Cambridge University (Girton College
) and in 1889 she passed the degree examinations with honors, as the top mathematician of her year at Girton, and ranked Senior Optime in the university class list. However the restrictions of the period did not allow her to receive the B.A.
she had otherwise earned.
In 1891 she began work at the Greenwich Royal Observatory, serving as one of the "lady computers" assigned to the solar department. There she assisted E. Walter Maunder
, and she spent much time photographing the Sun
and tracking the movements of sunspot
s. (The solar maximum was in 1894.) The two were married in 1895, his second marriage, and Annie was required to resign from her job. However the two continued to collaborate, with Annie accompanied Walter on solar eclipse
expeditions.
She published "The Heavens and their Story" in 1908, with her husband as the co-author. (She was credited by her husband as the primary author.) In 1916 she became the first woman elected to the Royal Astronomical Society
. The investigations of the couple demonstrated a correlation between the variation in sunspot numbers and the climate of the Earth
, leading to the discovery that the decrease period of solar activity during the Maunder Minimum
likely resulted in the "little ice age
".
Walter and Annie did not have any children, although he had five children from his previous marriage. Walter died in 1928, and she died in London, England in 1947.
The crater Maunder
on the Moon
was co-named for Walter and Annie Maunder.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
astronomer and mathematician.
She was born in Strabane
Strabane
Strabane , historically spelt Straban,is a town in west County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It contains the headquarters of Strabane District Council....
, County Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
to William Andrew Russell and Hessy Nesbitt Dill. Her father was the minister of the Presbyterian Church in Strabane until 1882.
Annie received her secondary education at the Ladies Collegiate School in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. Winning a prize in an 1886 intermediate school examination, she was able to sit the Girton open entrance scholarship examination, and was awarded a three year scholarship. She studied at Cambridge University (Girton College
Girton College, Cambridge
Girton College is one of the 31 constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge. It was England's first residential women's college, established in 1869 by Emily Davies and Barbara Bodichon. The full college status was only received in 1948 and marked the official admittance of women to the...
) and in 1889 she passed the degree examinations with honors, as the top mathematician of her year at Girton, and ranked Senior Optime in the university class list. However the restrictions of the period did not allow her to receive the B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
she had otherwise earned.
In 1891 she began work at the Greenwich Royal Observatory, serving as one of the "lady computers" assigned to the solar department. There she assisted E. Walter Maunder
Edward Walter Maunder
Edward Walter Maunder was an English astronomer best remembered for his study of sunspots and the solar magnetic cycle that led to his identification of the period from 1645 to 1715 that is now known as the Maunder Minimum....
, and she spent much time photographing the Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
and tracking the movements of sunspot
Sunspot
Sunspots are temporary phenomena on the photosphere of the Sun that appear visibly as dark spots compared to surrounding regions. They are caused by intense magnetic activity, which inhibits convection by an effect comparable to the eddy current brake, forming areas of reduced surface temperature....
s. (The solar maximum was in 1894.) The two were married in 1895, his second marriage, and Annie was required to resign from her job. However the two continued to collaborate, with Annie accompanied Walter on solar eclipse
Solar eclipse
As seen from the Earth, a solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, and the Moon fully or partially blocks the Sun as viewed from a location on Earth. This can happen only during a new moon, when the Sun and the Moon are in conjunction as seen from Earth. At least...
expeditions.
She published "The Heavens and their Story" in 1908, with her husband as the co-author. (She was credited by her husband as the primary author.) In 1916 she became the first woman elected to the Royal Astronomical Society
Royal Astronomical Society
The Royal Astronomical Society is a learned society that began as the Astronomical Society of London in 1820 to support astronomical research . It became the Royal Astronomical Society in 1831 on receiving its Royal Charter from William IV...
. The investigations of the couple demonstrated a correlation between the variation in sunspot numbers and the climate of the Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
, leading to the discovery that the decrease period of solar activity during the Maunder Minimum
Maunder Minimum
The Maunder Minimum is the name used for the period roughly spanning 1645 to 1715 when sunspots became exceedingly rare, as noted by solar observers of the time....
likely resulted in the "little ice age
Little Ice Age
The Little Ice Age was a period of cooling that occurred after the Medieval Warm Period . While not a true ice age, the term was introduced into the scientific literature by François E. Matthes in 1939...
".
Walter and Annie did not have any children, although he had five children from his previous marriage. Walter died in 1928, and she died in London, England in 1947.
The crater Maunder
Maunder (lunar crater)
Maunder is a lunar impact crater that is located on the far side of the Moon, just beyond the western limb. This region is sometimes brought into view during favorable librations, but not much detail can be seen. The crater lies at the northern end of the Mare Orientale, within the ring of...
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 co-named for Walter and Annie Maunder.