Maria Mitchell Birthday Celebration
Friday, August 1 marks the birthday of Maria Mitchell, who was born in her family’s home on Vestal Street in 1818. To celebrate her life and legacy, the Maria Mitchell Association invites the public to a full afternoon of free activities and refreshments.
Following tradition, Vestal Street museums (not including the Aquarium on Washington Street) are free to the public all day from 10 am to 4 pm. A variety of children’s activities are offered between 1 and 4 pm, including a special show by the Martian Cat, Mar, at 1 pm.
Also from 10 am to 4 pm, the Science Library will be hosting a book sale, where science and book lovers alike can find volumes on astronomy, gardening, plants, animals, and more. There is also a selection of children’s books and miscellaneous media. A sneak preview of the sale is available the evening before, July 31, from 5 to 6:30 pm, for a charge of $25.
At 2 pm, author Renee Bergland, a professor at Simmons College, will be in Drake Cottage at 4 Vestal Street to talk about her book, Maria Mitchell and the Sexing of Science: An Astronomer among the American Romantics. A book signing will follow the discussion.
This year also marks the 100th year of the Maria Mitchell Observatory on Vestal Street. The Vestal Street Observatory was built in 1908, five years after the Association’s incorporation. The building itself was constructed in only three months, designed to be a fireproof housing for the 1859 Clark Telescope purchased by Maria Mitchell with funds from the “Women of America” led by Elizabeth Peabody. From its earliest days, the dome was used for research and for year-round astronomy classes and “moon evenings” offered to the public.
Today, the observatory and its surrounding additions serve as the offices and instructional space for the Astronomy Department. The newly refurbished dome houses a recently acquired 17-inch research telescope purchased with money from a National Science Foundation PREST grant. Visit the observatory and the special exhibit celebrating the MMO’s anniversary in the Natural Science Museum at Hinchman House. Tours of the observatory are available Monday through Saturday at 11 am, and the Natural Science Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm.
Founded in 1902, the Maria Mitchell Association is dedicated to furthering science education, encouraging women in science, and serving as a science resource for Nantucket. The mission of the science and history-based education, preservation and research institution is to explore, educate about and enjoy Nantucket's land, waters and the skies beyond. In fulfilling its mission, the Maria Mitchell Association uses the unique natural environment of Nantucket as a resource to encourage inquiring minds and builds upon the scientific achievements of Maria Mitchell, a native of Nantucket who was America’s first woman astronomer and first female astronomy professor. For more information, contact www.mmo.org.
