Maria Mitchell

The first woman elected Fellow of both the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Mitchell was also the first internationally known woman to work as both a professional astronomer and a professor of astronomy. She accepted her professorship at Vassar College in 1865.

In 1847, Mitchell discovered a comet later designated C/1847 T1 and known popularly as "Miss Mitchell's Comet" in her honor. King Christian VIII of Denmark presented her a gold medal prize for the discovery in 1848.

Her legacy endures through several institutions bearing her name, including the Maria Mitchell Association, the Maria Mitchell Observatory, and the Maria Mitchell Aquarium.