12. Maria Mitchell Was the First American to Discover a Comet
Maria Mitchell was born in 1818 to Quaker parents in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Because of the family’s religious beliefs, the girls were educated equally with the boys. When she was 18, she began working at the Nantucket Atheneum, where she could spend long hours reading. At night, she would make celestial observations with her father, who was an astronomer.
In 1847, Maria discovered a comet, making her the first American – male or female – to do so. It was named Miss Mitchell’s Comet. She then became the first woman to be elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. When she was commissioned by the United States Coast Guard to make calculations, Maria Mitchell may have actually become the first woman ever appointed to a position within the United States government. She was later invited to join the faculty of Vassar College, where she had access to a 12-inch state-of-the-art telescope.
In addition to her scientific achievements, her Quaker upbringing may have led Maria also to be an ardent advocate for social justice. She participated in movements for women’s rights, especially the right to vote, as well as anti-slavery movements. Today, her home on Nantucket Island is a museum that is open to visitors.