Woman Astronomer's "Investigation of Stellar Motions," from the University of Virginia 1948

Women's education, Astronomy

First Edition

[Women in STEM] [Astronomy] Williams, Emma and Vyssotsky, A.N. An Investigation of Stellar Motions. University of Virginia, 1948. First edition. 215 pages, 8" x 11." Emma Williams was a Harvard-educated astronomer who spent much of her career at the University of Virginia's Leander McCormick Observatory, where she studied the motion of stars and the kinematics of the Milky Way. "An Investigation of Stellar Motions" was published in collaboration with her husband, Russian-born Alexander Vyssotsky. Despite the couple having equal accomplishments, Vyssotsky was given preferential treatment by the University as a professor and scholar. It would take Emma Williams more than twelve years before receiving the same professorial position as her partner. Nevertheless, Williams is considered an important figure in her field, even receiving the Annie J. Cannon Award in Astronomy by the American Astronomical Society in recognition of her contributions to the field of stellar spectra. Her research, part of which is included here, applied trigonometric functions to observations made of photographic exposures. Her scholarship led to accurate calculations of stellar motions and the determination of the structure of galaxies. Bound in original wrappers. Very good condition.

Item #18978

Price: $245.00