Williamina Paton Stevens Fleming (May 15th 1857 - May 21st 1911) is an American astronomer of Scottish origin .

Fleming is born with Dundee in Scotland where it makes its studies. At 14 years it starts to help with the teaching of young people under the aegis of the system Pupil-teacher then existing. She Marie and, with her husband, emigrates with the the United States with Boston. Her husband gives up it and his Edward son whereas it is pregnant.

Having to work, it is engaged by the professor Edward Charles Pickering like good. One day, Pickering, known for its impulsiveness and exceeded by its assistants, declared publicly that even its good could better do their work. Thus in 1881 it starts to do the administrative work with the Harvard College Observatory.

At the observatory it begins like computer, receiving more and more responsibilities with the wire for time. It develops and implements a method of classification of the star S, compared to the quantity of Hydrogène observed in their spectrum, later Annie Jump Canon will simplify this classification while being based on the temperature of surface.

Fleming contributes to the Catalog Henry Draper, in nine years it catalogs 10  351 stars, discovers 59 Nébuleuse S, more than 310 variable stars and 10 Nova S. In 1907 it publishes a list of 222 variable stars.

In 1888, it discovers the Nébuleuse Head of Horse on the photographic plate B2312 taken by William Henry Pickering, describing it like a brilliant nebula “semicircular 5 minutes in diameter, 30 minutes in the south of Zeta [Orionis]”. W.H. Pickering speculated that the spot was matter obscuring the bottom. The articles and books which followed eliminated the appropriations due to W.H. Pickering and Fleming because the first compilation of the catalog made by Dr. J.L.E. Dreyer eliminated the name from Fleming and credited Pickering without its initial, the majority of the readers allotted the appropriations to his/her brother E.C. Pickering.

Fleming is in load of dozen women, committed to make calculation and classification and publishes the publications of the Harvard College Observatory. In 1899 it becomes preserving photographs. In 1906 it becomes honorary member of the Royal Astronomical Society, first American with being elected, shortly after it becomes also honorary member of the Wellesley College. Little before its death the Société astronomy Mexico decrees the medal Guadalupe Almendaro to him. It publishes has Photographic Study off Variable Stars in 1907 and Spectra and Photographic Magnitudes off Stars in Standard Areas in 1911. She dies of a Pneumonie with Boston.

Honors

• a crater on the the Moon bears its name like that of Alexander Fleming.

Sources and references