MMA Welcomes Christina Norman as Featured Guest for July Science Speaker Series

July 1, 2024

NANTUCKET, MA—The Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) announces that it will host Christina Norman, the Maria Mitchell Association Aquarium Manager, as a featured presenter for its Science Speaker Series. Her presentation “Living Legacy: The Atlantic Horseshoe Crab” will take place on Wednesday, July 3 at 7pm EST. It will be presented in person at the MMA’s 33 Washington Street property and via Zoom. This event is free to all.


If you've walked the beaches during high tide recently, you likely have seen horseshoe crabs crawling along the water line. Even during low tides, you may have seen their tracks in the sand from where they've traveled around to mate. Horseshoe crabs are a common sight in the summer, but there's a lot more to these prehistoric critters than meets the eye. Relatively unchanged on Earth for nearly 450 million years, horseshoe crabs are unique even among the usual oddities we see in the ocean.


With ten eyes, blue blood, six pairs of appendages, green eggs, and more, the Atlantic horseshoe crab is an enigma that could have a semester-long course dedicated to it, but at this talk, we'll do our best to condense the creatures into an hour-long discussion about biology, behavior, and human relations. All who want to learn more about these fantastic creatures are welcome to join!


As an Aquarium Intern in 2022, Christina was able to learn about the wonders of Nantucket. The first time she saw horseshoe crabs spawning at Monomoy Beach, she knew she'd made the perfect choice of internships. After finishing her internship, Christina completed a six-month AmeriCorps term in Holderness, New Hampshire, working with the Lakes Region Conservation Corps and Squam Lakes Association to monitor water quality, manage trails, remove invasive aquatic plants, and inspect boats for hitchhiking invasives. After her AmeriCorps term, Christina rejoined the Maria Mitchell Association in 2024 as the Interim Natural Science Museum Manager. Now, as the Aquarium Manager, Christina enjoys talking to the public about the marine wonders of Nantucket. She tries not to be biased, but it's clear that horseshoe crabs hold a special place in her heart.


Pre-registration is required. To register for this event, please follow the link below:


https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ahz9DV46R-6L4ewkTwR5Gw#/registration


This series is generously sponsored by our lead sponsor, Bank of America.


The Maria Mitchell Association was founded in 1902 to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. After she discovered a comet in 1847, Mitchell’s international fame led to many achievements and awards, including an appointment as the first female professor of astronomy at Vassar College. Maria Mitchell believed in “learning by doing” and today that philosophy is reflected in the MMA’s mission statement, programs, research projects, and other activities. The Maria Mitchell Association operates two observatories, a natural science museum, an aquarium, a research center, and preserves the historic birthplace of Maria Mitchell. A wide variety of science and history-related programming is offered throughout the year for people of all ages.


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For Immediate Release

July 01, 2024

Contact: Allison Lowe

marketinginterns@mariamitchell.org

Recent Posts

Miss Herschel

By Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • November 10, 2025
A re-blog from years past. The item you see here is a small piece of what once was. Upon her visit to Europe as a young woman’s chaperone in 1857 –1858, Maria Mitchell visited many of the major observatories of Europe and met many of the movers and shakers in the scientific, art, and literary worlds of the continent. While Caroline Herschel (1750 – 1848) and her brother, Sir William (1738 – 1822), were long dead, Maria was able to meet Caroline’s nephew (William’s son), Sir John Herschel (1792 – 1871). All three were astronomers, though Caroline found herself having to give credit – or have her brother accept credit – for much of her work because she was a woman. She has often been credited with the being the first woman to discover a comet. She was likely not – and the other woman who was the first lost credit through history as she had to “give” her comet discovery to her husband. See a pattern? Caroline was just one of many women in a long line of, “She couldn’t possibly do that – she is a woman!” As Maria once said, “But a woman, what more could you ask to be?” But back to this small item. It was a page from one of Caroline Herschel’s notebook’s, torn from its home by John Herschel to serve a s a memento for Maria of her visit to the family’s home. Maria was a bit shocked but . . . she took it! Over the years, the paper tore and ripped and just crumbled away until Maria finally decided that to save it, she needed to past it into one of her own journals. And thus, we have what we have. I assume Caroline’s notations refer to her brother William – “Wol” and Woll.” It could be an “I” but it really looks like an “O.” She is considered the world’s first professional woman astronomer – she would be compensated for her work after some time – and she warrants a greater look at – too much for a blog. So I encourage you to go take a look at her. Maria would want you to! JNLF

From The Rear

By Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • November 3, 2025
I am not so sure our founders would love that title but the image is of the Maria Mitchell Vestal Street Observatory (MMO) “from the rear.” I love this image as it is really the only one we have – unless you count the one that is taken from farther away and from further into the backyard of the Mitchell House. That one allows you to see the natural slope of the Mitchell House back lawn which would be altered when they added the Curator’s Cottage. Both of the images were taken before the Curator’s Cottage was added at the back of the Mitchell House in the early 1930s – and this one you see here was taken before 1922 when they added the Astronomical Study onto the MMO. It also shows the original dome – which was copper – before it was replaced in 1951 – which is the current dome. The copper did not hold up to our climate here – salt spray, damp, fog. But the new one, shipped over from England, has held up well. The current dome was donated by Margaret Underwood Davis (MMA board president at the time), in memory of her son, Cushing Davis who was an amateur astronomer. Margaret Davis served as president from 1930-1946 and again from 1949-1953. The image tells you some other things too. For instance, the grape arbor behind the Mitchell House is supposed to be Peleg Mitchell’s (Maria’s uncle) grape vine – I have blogged about it several times before – and you can see it in this image. You can also see how the Milk Room connects to the 1850s kitchen. The 1850s kitchen was added by Peleg Mitchell Jr and it’s the first little wart you see with the white pipe attached. The next wart is the Milk Room – also added by Peleg – it’s the one with the shutters on the window. Both still exist it’s just the Curator’s Cottage was attached in the 1930s. You will see another chimney too. It appears alongside the white pipe. That is likely the original chimney to what is now the Astronomer’s Cottage at the MMA. We acquired the Cottage in the 1920s but I believe all of the additions, and the removal of the chimney, were done before we were given it.  Fun! JNLF

Keep Calm and Bird On: November 2025

November 1, 2025
“If you don’t look, you don’t see. You have to go and look.” -Edith Andrews
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