Helen Sawyer Hogg
Encyclopedia
Helen Battles Sawyer Hogg, CC
(1 August 1905 – 28 January 1993) was a prolific astronomer
noted for her research into globular cluster
s. She is best remembered for her astronomy column, which ran from 1951 until 1981 in the Toronto Star
, and her articles on the history of astronomy which ran from 1946 until 1965 in the Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
under the title “Out of Old Books”.
A 1926 graduate of Mount Holyoke College
, after graduation she went on to Harvard Observatory to work with Annie Jump Cannon
and Harlow Shapley
on star clusters. She received her doctorate in 1931 from Radcliffe College
.
She married husband Frank Scott Hogg
in 1930, and the two moved to Victoria, British Columbia
. There Frank had a job at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory
. Helen was not hired, though, and had to work as his volunteer assistant. In 1935, the couple moved again to Ontario
where she took a job at the David Dunlap Observatory
. Helen Hogg's research during this time period focused on stars whose spectra
contain absorption lines of elements including carbon, nitrogen and oxygen. Frank Hogg was director of the observatory from 1946 until his death in 1951.
Over the next six decades, she published numerous papers and established herself as a leader in the field of astronomy. In 1985, she married F. E. L. Priestley (Francis Ethelbert Louis Priestley) (1905–1988), a professor emeritus of English at the University of Toronto
, who died in 1988. She died of a heart attack
in 1993.
She won the Annie J. Cannon Award in Astronomy
in 1949 and the Klumpke-Roberts Award
in 1983.
In 1967 she was awarded the prestigious Rittenhouse Astronomical Society Silver Medal Award for her outstanding achievements in astronomy. The Rittenhouse Astronomical Society was founded in honour of scholar and astronomer David Rittenhouse.
In 1968 she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
and was promoted to Companion in 1976.
The asteroid 2917 Sawyer Hogg
is named after her as is the observatory on the grounds of the Canada Science and Technology Museum
.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(1 August 1905 – 28 January 1993) was a prolific astronomer
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
noted for her research into globular cluster
Globular cluster
A globular cluster is a spherical collection of stars that orbits a galactic core as a satellite. Globular clusters are very tightly bound by gravity, which gives them their spherical shapes and relatively high stellar densities toward their centers. The name of this category of star cluster is...
s. She is best remembered for her astronomy column, which ran from 1951 until 1981 in the Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
, and her articles on the history of astronomy which ran from 1946 until 1965 in the Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada is a national, non-profit, charitable organization devoted to the advancement of astronomy and related sciences. At present, there are 29 local branches of the Society, called centres, located in towns and cities across the country from St. John's,...
under the title “Out of Old Books”.
A 1926 graduate of Mount Holyoke College
Mount Holyoke College
Mount Holyoke College is a liberal arts college for women in South Hadley, Massachusetts. It was the first member of the Seven Sisters colleges, and served as a model for some of the others...
, after graduation she went on to Harvard Observatory to work with Annie Jump Cannon
Annie Jump Cannon
Annie Jump Cannon was an American astronomer whose cataloging work was instrumental in the development of contemporary stellar classification. With Edward C...
and Harlow Shapley
Harlow Shapley
Harlow Shapley was an American astronomer.-Career:He was born on a farm in Nashville, Missouri, and dropped out of school with only the equivalent of a fifth-grade education...
on star clusters. She received her doctorate in 1931 from Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College was a women's liberal arts college in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was the coordinate college for Harvard University. It was also one of the Seven Sisters colleges. Radcliffe College conferred joint Harvard-Radcliffe diplomas beginning in 1963 and a formal merger agreement with...
.
She married husband Frank Scott Hogg
Frank Scott Hogg
Frank Scott Hogg was born to Dr. James Scott Hogg and Ida Barberon in Preston, Ontario.After earning and undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto, Hogg received the second doctorate in astronomy awarded at Harvard University in 1929 where he pioneered in the study of spectrophotometry...
in 1930, and the two moved to Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
. There Frank had a job at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory
Dominion Astrophysical Observatory
The Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, located on Observatory Hill, in Saanich, British Columbia, was completed in 1918 by the Canadian government. Proposed and designed by John S...
. Helen was not hired, though, and had to work as his volunteer assistant. In 1935, the couple moved again to Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
where she took a job at the David Dunlap Observatory
David Dunlap Observatory
The David Dunlap Observatory is a large astronomical observatory site once owned by the University of Toronto, located just north of the city in Richmond Hill, Ontario within a estate. Its primary instrument is a 74-inch reflector telescope, at one time the second largest telescope in the world,...
. Helen Hogg's research during this time period focused on stars whose spectra
Electromagnetic spectrum
The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of all possible frequencies of electromagnetic radiation. The "electromagnetic spectrum" of an object is the characteristic distribution of electromagnetic radiation emitted or absorbed by that particular object....
contain absorption lines of elements including carbon, nitrogen and oxygen. Frank Hogg was director of the observatory from 1946 until his death in 1951.
Over the next six decades, she published numerous papers and established herself as a leader in the field of astronomy. In 1985, she married F. E. L. Priestley (Francis Ethelbert Louis Priestley) (1905–1988), a professor emeritus of English at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, who died in 1988. She died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in 1993.
She won the Annie J. Cannon Award in Astronomy
Annie J. Cannon Award in Astronomy
The Annie Jump Cannon Award in Astronomy is awarded annually by the American Astronomical Society to a woman resident of North America, who is within five years of receipt of a Ph.D., for distinguished contributions to astronomy or for similar contributions in related sciences which have immediate...
in 1949 and the Klumpke-Roberts Award
Klumpke-Roberts Award
The Klumpke-Roberts Award was established from a bequest by astronomer Dorothea Klumpke-Roberts and recognizes outstanding contributions to the public understanding and appreciation of astronomy...
in 1983.
In 1967 she was awarded the prestigious Rittenhouse Astronomical Society Silver Medal Award for her outstanding achievements in astronomy. The Rittenhouse Astronomical Society was founded in honour of scholar and astronomer David Rittenhouse.
In 1968 she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
and was promoted to Companion in 1976.
The asteroid 2917 Sawyer Hogg
2917 Sawyer Hogg
2917 Sawyer Hogg is a main-belt asteroid discovered on September 2, 1980 by E. Bowell at Flagstaff .- External links :*...
is named after her as is the observatory on the grounds of the Canada Science and Technology Museum
Canada Science and Technology Museum
The Canada Science and Technology Museum is located in Ottawa, Ontario, on St. Laurent Boulevard, to the south of the Queensway .-Mission:...
.
External links
- U.Toronto biography
- Biography
- Helen Sawyer Hogg Honored
- Out of Old Books: Essays on the History of Astronomy by Helen Sawyer Hogg
- Oral History interview transcript with Helen Sawyer Hogg 17 August 1979, American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library and Archives
- Bibliography from the Astronomical Society of the PacificAstronomical Society of the PacificThe Astronomical Society of the Pacific is a scientific and educational organization, founded in San Francisco on February 7, 1889. Its name derives from its origins on the Pacific Coast, but today it has members all over the country and the world...