“No greater problem is presented to the human mind”

Many Deaf women have made significant contributions to the sciences.

A Deaf woman who explored astronomy and the constellation.  Her name is Annie Jump Cannon. She was an advocate for women’s suffrage and a member of the National Women’s Party.  Annie born in 1863 in Dover, Delaware, USA. Her favourite time was spending time with her mother in the attic and learning about the constellation and household economics  including Mathematics, chemistry and biology.  It was her mother – Mary Jump encouraging her to explore in astronomy in the future.

How did Annie became deaf? There were unclear theories on what cause her to lose her hearing loss. One person said her hearing loss may attribute to scarlet fever and another person said she suffered a cold during Annie’s childhood or early adult years. Annie used to lip-read other people, but not to use sign language. She did not socially well with other people because of deafness and she prefer to immersing herself in her work.

Here is one of the video clips you can watch it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seyJFtW6z10

Did you know that Annie earn 50 cents an hour? It was true BUT she was lucky because she was studying all the pictures of stars herself after became an assistant for Edward C. Pickering in 1896. She discovered 300 variable stars.

Annie became the leading expert in stellar classification and a world traveller. Her career last more than 40 years until 1940 where Annie retired. BUT she continually to work on astronomy in the observatory until a few weeks before her death. She died in 1941 in Cambridge, Massachusetts at the age of 77.

Annie encouraged all women to take up astronomy and all  scientific community. Her calm and hardworking attitude and demeanor helped her gain respect throughout her lifetime and paved the path for future women astronomers.

What is the most important to respect Annie and her works? The American Astronomical Society presents the Annie Jump Cannon Award annually to female astronomers for distinguished work in astronomy