Pulsars are powerful cosmic lighthouses. They are swiftly rotating magnetized neutron stars that emit high-energy electromagnetic radiation. They are a particularly useful tool for astronomers since they can be used to probe the space between galaxies and even act like precise clocks. Due to their regularity, they are used in maps of the cosmos, henceContinue reading “The Discovery of Pulsars – Jocelyn Bell Burnell”
Category Archives: People
Hidden Figures – The Story of Katherine Johnson
When we think of the Apollo program, most of us imagine the story of brave white male military test pilots, engineers and politicians. Nevertheless, the real heroes of the first Moon landing remain under-appreciated to this day. These women challenged the patriarchal structure of NASA. They faced racial discrimination and sexism on their way toContinue reading “Hidden Figures – The Story of Katherine Johnson”
Caroline Herschel
She was the first woman to discover a comet, receive a salary as a full-time scientist, hold a government office in England, publish in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, receive a Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society, and be named a honorary member of the Royal Astronomical Society. A trailblazer and a brilliantContinue reading “Caroline Herschel”