The moon is made of cheese and the Milky Way is made of caramel, chocolate and nougat. The stars, like our Sun, are made of hydrogen and helium.
Because Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin moved from her native Buckinghamshire, England to go to college at the Harvard College Observatory, we know that the Sun is a mixture of hydrogen and helium, and Milky Ways are yummy.
Cecilia was born in 1900 England when women were encouraged to stay home and do whatever it is that women in the 1900s England did. Mostly stay uneducated and have children. Her father was a barrister and died when she was four years old leaving her mother to raise her and the two other children alone. The family moved to London in search of a college for her brother who later became an archeologist.
Cecilia was sent to St. Maryâs College, but she wasnât allowed to study math or science, and when she transferred to St. Paulâs Girlsâ School in 1918, she was encouraged to study music. She was most interested in science, and she won a scholarship to the womenâs wing of Cambridge, Newnham College where she studied physics and chemistry.
She attended a lecture from someone who had photographed the stars during a solar eclipse off the coast of Africa. She was hooked on astronomy at that moment. Her college wouldnât give her a degree because she was a woman, so she sought a scholarship in the States, packed her bags and joined a graduate program in astronomy at Harvard. She was the first person to earn a Ph.D. in astronomy from Radcliff.
It was her study of the spectral class of stars to their temperature that led her to deduce that they were made of helium and hydrogen, even though the popular opinion at the time was that the Sun had the same composition as the Earth. She also studied the Milky Way and went on to study over 3,000,000 stars.
She was not always given the recognition that she deserved, so when you think of the Sun, think of Cecilia and not the guys that tried to tell her she was wrong only to later on try to claim it for themselves. Looking at you, Henry Norris Russell!
In addition to blazing the way for further star exploration, she set the path for women in science, particularly astronomy, and she was eventually given Chair of the Department of Astronomy. She was a Professor Emerita at Harvard and a staff member of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.
She and her husband, Sergei I. Gaposchkin had three children, and her daughter most remembered her as an inventive knitter, an inspired seamstress and a voracious reader. All of that education and the kids remember you for the things you made.
Speaking of things you made, if youâre shopping for Motherâs Day, then donât miss out on these wonderful handmade gift ideas from these shining star artists and designers.
Happy Friendsgiving Sticker Labels with Pumpkins Sunflowers â Set of 30
Carmel Gold Lampwork Glass Earrings Handmade Autumn Jewelry
Thanks a Bunch Thank You Card in Gold and Blue
Sunflower Pendant Necklace Yellow Polymer Clay w Jonquil Mint Crystals
Radiance
Oliver The Otter Mother's Day Pattern on yellow Coffee Mug
Red Orange Coral Swarovski Pearl Bracelet
Sterling Silver Star of David (Magen David) Apatite Adjustable V Choker
Wire Beaded Kippah
Handmade Lampwork Glass Beads
Buckeye Burl Exotic Wood Oval Earrings
Yellow Flower Earrings
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Collectible Thimble Yellow Rose
If you don't see what you want from this list, here are some other places you might find the perfect gift for Mom:
Mother's Day Countdown 2023 Week 1
Mother's Day Countdown 2023 Week 2
Other Outstanding Women
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Many artists are happy to do custom work for you, so if you see a style you like, then contact the artist and ask them if they do custom work.Â
Enjoy and happy shopping!
Julie
What an amazing woman Cecelia was. So grateful that she set a path for women in science. Thank you for including our Sunflowers and Pumpkins stickers, Julie. Will share this post and each beautiful creation.
Loving these beautiful artisan handmade gift ideas for Motherâs Day! Thank you so much, Julie and Harry, for promoting my lampwork beads!
Very beautiful blog. Thank you very much for creating such a wonderful collection of handmade gifts.
Thank you for including my flower earrings, Julie! Very pretty selection of gifts for mom touching on the color yellow. I enjoyed reading about Cecilia. Another remarkable woman! I have shared each, plus the blog.
Great blog, Julie!! Cecelia was such an incredible woman, and it is so wonderful to learn about her and her accomplishments! Thanks for sharing! Also, thanks for choosing my âRadianceâ sunflower! I will be tweeting and pinning your selections of all these lovely artisanâs works! Blessing and have a great week!