Annie Jump Cannon Education, Interesting Facts, Star Classification, Childhood, Date Of Birth

Annie Jump was an American astronomer whose work defined the development of contemporary stellar classification.

Annie Jump Cannon was born on December 11, 1863, in Dover, Delaware, the United States as the eldest of three daughters born to Wilson Cannon (Delaware shipbuilder and state senator) and his second wife, Mary Jump.

Following her mother’s advice, Annie Jump pursued her love of astronomy. She attended Wilmington Conference Academy (today known as Wesley College). In 1880, she was sent enrolled at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, where she studied physics and astronomy.

Annie Jump became a valedictorian at Wellesley College, graduating with a degree in physics in 1884. She is credited with the creation of the Harvard Classification Scheme which was the first serious attempt to organize and classify stars based on their temperatures and spectral types.

Annie Jump died on April 13, 1941, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States at the age of 77. She passed away in a hospital after being ill for over a month.

Annie Jump Cannon Education

Annie Jump Cannon attended Wellesley College, Wilmington Conference Academy, and Radcliffe College.

Annie Jump Cannon graduated from Wellesley College with a degree in physics in 1884. She had enrolled at Radcliffe College as a “special student” to continue her studies in astronomy.

Annie Jump Cannon Interesting Facts

• Annie Jump Cannon was the first woman to receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Oxford in 1925.
• Annie Jump Cannon received the Henry Draper Gold Medal of the National Academy of Sciences.
• Annie Jump Cannon was also the first woman to hold an officer position in the American Astronomical Society.
• Annie Jump Cannon was never married and never had any children.
• Annie Jump Cannon was completely deaf throughout her career which made it difficult for her to socialize.
• Annie Jump Cannon was credited with classifying 5,000 stars per month from 1911 to 1915.
• Annie Jump Cannon was known as the “census taker of the sky.
• Annie Jump Cannon was also awarded the Ellen Richards prize from the Association to Aid Scientific Research by Woman in 1932.
• Annie Jump Cannon was the first woman to receive a doctor of astronomy degree from Groningen University (1921).
• Annie Jump Cannon received an honorary degree from Oglethorpe University in 1935.
• Annie Jump Cannon was the first woman elected as an officer of the American Astronomical Society.
• The lunar crater Cannon is named after her.
• The asteroid 1120 Cannonia is named after Annie Jump Cannon.

Annie Jump Cannon Star Classification

Annie Jump Cannon is credited with the creation of the Harvard Classification Scheme which was the first serious attempt to organize and classify stars based on their temperatures and spectral types.

Annie Jump Cannon’s system of ranking stars as O, B, A, F, G, K or M is still used today.

Annie Jump Cannon Childhood

Annie Jump Cannon spent her childhood in Dover, Delaware, the United States. During her childhood, her mother taught her the constellations whiles encouraging her to pursue astronomy.

As a child, Annie Jump Cannon and her mother used an old astronomy textbook to identify stars seen from their attic.  Her mother also taught her household economics, which was helpful in organizing her research.

Annie Jump Cannon Date Of Birth

Annie Jump Cannon was born on December 11, 1863.