Venetia Phair
Encyclopedia
Venetia Phair, née Burney (11 July 1918 – 30 April 2009) was the first person to suggest the name Pluto
for the object discovered by Clyde Tombaugh
in 1930. At the time, she was 11 years old and lived in Oxford, England.
, Oriel Professor of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture at Oxford, and his wife Ethel Wordsworth Burney (née Madan). Venetia was the granddaughter of Falconer Madan
(1851–1935), Librarian of the Bodleian Library
of the University of Oxford
. Falconer Madan's brother, Henry Madan
(1838–1901), Science Master of Eton
, had in 1878 suggested the names Phobos
and Deimos
for the moons
of Mars
.
On 14 March 1930, Falconer Madan read the story of the new planet's discovery in The Times
, and mentioned it to his granddaughter Venetia. She suggested the name Pluto
— the Roman God of the Underworld who was able to make himself invisible — and Falconer Madan forwarded the suggestion to astronomer Herbert Hall Turner
, who cabled his American colleagues at Lowell Observatory
. Tombaugh liked the proposal because it started with the initials of Percival Lowell
who had predicted the existence of Pluto. On 1 May 1930, the name Pluto was formally adopted for this new celestial body.
Burney was educated at Downe House School in Berkshire
and Newnham College, Cambridge
, where she studied mathematics
. After graduation she became a chartered accountant
. Later she became a teacher of economics
and mathematics at girls’ schools in southwest London
. She was married to Edward Maxwell Phair from 1947 until his death in 2006. Her husband, a classicist, later became housemaster and head of English at Epsom College
. She died on 30 April 2009, aged 90, in Banstead
.
Only a few months before the reclassification of Pluto from a planet to a dwarf planet
, with the debate going on about the issue, she said in an interview that "At my age, I've been largely indifferent to [the debate]; though I suppose I would prefer it to remain a planet."
6235 Burney
was named in her honour. The Student Dust Counter, an instrument on board the New Horizons
spacecraft, was also renamed Venetia after her.
The band The Venetia Fair was named after her, "Phair" being changed to "Fair".
Pluto
Pluto, formal designation 134340 Pluto, is the second-most-massive known dwarf planet in the Solar System and the tenth-most-massive body observed directly orbiting the Sun...
for the object discovered by Clyde Tombaugh
Clyde Tombaugh
Clyde William Tombaugh was an American astronomer. Although he is best known for discovering the dwarf planet Pluto in 1930, the first object to be discovered in what would later be identified as the Kuiper Belt, Tombaugh also discovered many asteroids; he also called for serious scientific...
in 1930. At the time, she was 11 years old and lived in Oxford, England.
Biography
Venetia Katharine Douglas Burney was the daughter of Rev. Charles Fox BurneyCharles Fox Burney
Rev. Charles Fox Burney was Biblical scholar at Oxford University, England.-Early life:Charles was the son of Charles Burney, Paymaster Chief Royal Navy, and his wife Eleanor Norton, daughter of the Rev. W. A. Norton, rector of Alderton and Eye, Suffolk. He was educated at Merchant Taylors'...
, Oriel Professor of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture at Oxford, and his wife Ethel Wordsworth Burney (née Madan). Venetia was the granddaughter of Falconer Madan
Falconer Madan
Falconer Madan was Librarian of the Bodleian Library of Oxford University.Falconer was the fifth son of George and Harriet Madan. He was educated at Marlborough College and Brasenose College, Oxford, where he took part in Oxford and Cambridge Chess matches in 1873 and 1874, and won the University...
(1851–1935), Librarian of the Bodleian Library
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
of the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. Falconer Madan's brother, Henry Madan
Henry George Madan
Henry George Madan wasan English chemist, teacher and academic.He was born in Cam Vicarage, Gloucestershire, England, the...
(1838–1901), Science Master of Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, had in 1878 suggested the names Phobos
Phobos (moon)
Phobos is the larger and closer of the two natural satellites of Mars. Both moons were discovered in 1877. With a mean radius of , Phobos is 7.24 times as massive as Deimos...
and Deimos
Deimos (moon)
Deimos is the smaller and outer of Mars's two moons . It is named after Deimos, a figure representing dread in Greek Mythology. Its systematic designation is '.-Discovery:Deimos was discovered by Asaph Hall, Sr...
for the moons
Natural satellite
A natural satellite or moon is a celestial body that orbits a planet or smaller body, which is called its primary. The two terms are used synonymously for non-artificial satellites of planets, of dwarf planets, and of minor planets....
of 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...
.
On 14 March 1930, Falconer Madan read the story of the new planet's discovery in The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, and mentioned it to his granddaughter Venetia. She suggested the name Pluto
Pluto (mythology)
In ancient Greek religion and myth, Pluto was a name for the ruler of the underworld; the god was also known as Hades, a name for the underworld itself...
— the Roman God of the Underworld who was able to make himself invisible — and Falconer Madan forwarded the suggestion to astronomer Herbert Hall Turner
Herbert Hall Turner
Herbert Hall Turner was a British astronomer and seismologist.-Biography:Herbert Hall Turner was educated at Clifton College and Trinity College, Cambridge., In 1884 he accepted the post of Chief Assistant at Greenwich Observatory and stayed there for nine years...
, who cabled his American colleagues at Lowell Observatory
Lowell Observatory
Lowell Observatory is an astronomical observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. Lowell Observatory was established in 1894, placing it among the oldest observatories in the United States, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965....
. Tombaugh liked the proposal because it started with the initials of Percival Lowell
Percival Lowell
Percival Lawrence Lowell was a businessman, author, mathematician, and astronomer who fueled speculation that there were canals on Mars, founded the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, and formed the beginning of the effort that led to the discovery of Pluto 14 years after his death...
who had predicted the existence of Pluto. On 1 May 1930, the name Pluto was formally adopted for this new celestial body.
Burney was educated at Downe House School in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
and Newnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College is a women-only constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1871 by Henry Sidgwick, and was the second Cambridge college to admit women after Girton College...
, where she studied mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
. After graduation she became a chartered accountant
Chartered Accountant
Chartered Accountants were the first accountants to form a professional body, initially established in Britain in 1854. The Edinburgh Society of Accountants , the Glasgow Institute of Accountants and Actuaries and the Aberdeen Society of Accountants were each granted a royal charter almost from...
. Later she became a teacher of economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
and mathematics at girls’ schools in southwest London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. She was married to Edward Maxwell Phair from 1947 until his death in 2006. Her husband, a classicist, later became housemaster and head of English at Epsom College
Epsom College
Epsom College is an independent co-educational public school in Epsom, Surrey, England, for pupils aged 13 to 18. Founded in 1853 to provide support for poor members of the medical profession such as pensioners and orphans , Epsom's long-standing association with medicine was estimated in 1980 as...
. She died on 30 April 2009, aged 90, in Banstead
Banstead
Banstead is a town in the borough of Reigate and Banstead in the county of Surrey, England, on the border with Greater London. It lies south of London, west of Croydon and of the county town of Kingston-Upon-Thames. Banstead is on the North Downs and is protected by the Metropolitan Green Belt;...
.
Only a few months before the reclassification of Pluto from a planet to a dwarf planet
Dwarf planet
A dwarf planet, as defined by the International Astronomical Union , is a celestial body orbiting the Sun that is massive enough to be spherical as a result of its own gravity but has not cleared its neighboring region of planetesimals and is not a satellite...
, with the debate going on about the issue, she said in an interview that "At my age, I've been largely indifferent to [the debate]; though I suppose I would prefer it to remain a planet."
Legacy
The asteroidAsteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
6235 Burney
6235 Burney
6235 Burney is a minor planet that was discovered on November 14, 1987 by Seiji Ueda and Hiroshi Kaneda at Kushiro.The naming of the asteroid "Burney" was not suggested by the asteroid discoverers. It was designated by the Working Group for Small Bodies Nomenclature of Division III of the...
was named in her honour. The Student Dust Counter, an instrument on board the New Horizons
New Horizons
New Horizons is a NASA robotic spacecraft mission currently en route to the dwarf planet Pluto. It is expected to be the first spacecraft to fly by and study Pluto and its moons, Charon, Nix, Hydra and S/2011 P 1. Its estimated arrival date at the Pluto-Charon system is July 14th, 2015...
spacecraft, was also renamed Venetia after her.
The band The Venetia Fair was named after her, "Phair" being changed to "Fair".
External links
- The girl who named a planet (BBC News OnlineBBC News OnlineBBC News Online is the website of BBC News, the division of the BBC responsible for newsgathering and production. The website is the most popular news website in the United Kingdom and forms a major part of BBC Online ....
) - The Girl Who Named Pluto
- Parents' Union School Diamond Jubilee Magazine: The Planet 'Pluto' by K.M. Claxton
- What Planet is This?: Venetia Burney and Pluto
- NASA interview with Venetia Phair