Maria Mitchell's Comet Claim Prevailed

On October 1, 1847, a librarian named Maria Mitchell discovered a comet using a three-inch telescope in a rooftop observatory. The Italian astronomer Francesco de Vico independently discovered the same comet two days later and was the first to report it to European authorities, leading to a dispute over credit. Mitchell showed that she had seen it first and filed calculations of its orbit to establish her claim. In 1848, she became the first American and first woman to receive an astronomy prize when King Christian VIII of Denmark awarded her a gold medal.

Previous Fact Next Fact