Annie Jump Cannon

astronomy · classification · women scientists · space

Star Classifier. Annie Jump Cannon created a system to sort stars by their temperature and light. This Harvard Classification Scheme is still used by astronomers today to understand what stars are made of and how hot they really are.

Deaf Astronomer. After getting scarlet fever in 1893, Annie became nearly deaf. Instead of giving up on science, she kept working and became one of the most important astronomers of her time.

Cataloging Champion. Annie cataloged over 350,000 stars in her lifetime. She worked with her boss Edward C. Pickering to organize all these stars in a way that made sense.

Women's Rights Fighter. Annie wasn't just passionate about stars. She was also a suffragist who fought for women's right to vote as a member of the National Women's Party.