Rachel Bowyer to Speak as Featured Guest for Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association’s Science Speaker Series

Website Editor • March 24, 2021

Update: Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are rescheduling the Wednesday, March 24 Winter Science Speaker Series talk. The new date will be Wednesday, March 31 at 7pm. The registration link for the event remains unchanged.


On March 31st at 7pm, the Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) is hosting a live lecture entitled, “Hidden Patterns in Galaxy Motions: What They Can Tell Us About the Universe” presented by former MMA National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (NSF-REU) intern, Rachel Bowyer. This talk is part of our FREE Winter Science Speaker Series and will be held via Zoom.


Galaxies move at hundreds of miles per second through space, yet they are so far away, that they appear stationary to us on Earth. However, recent advancements in observing techniques have made it possible to observe the motion of hundreds of thousands of galaxies all across the sky. These observations are revealing complex, streaming and swirling patterns in galaxy motions that are rich in information about our universe’s formation and evolution. Specifically, these motions can tell us about the formation of structure in the universe and about primordial gravitational waves. In this talk, Bowyer will discuss the emerging field of “real-time cosmology” and how patterns in galaxy motions can be used to study the early universe.

 

Bowyer is an Astrophysics graduate student working towards her Ph.D. at the University of Colorado, Boulder. She researches cosmology and the early universe, specifically, what observed galaxy motions can tell us about gravitational waves and the formation of structure in the universe. Recently, Bowyer was awarded the prestigious Chambliss Astronomy Achievement Award for the presentation of her work at the American Astronomical Society meeting. Bowyer began her research career at the Maria Mitchell Observatory in the summer of 2017. At the MMO, she worked on a project to map the dark matter structure in galaxy clusters using the effects of gravitational lensing. Aside from research, Bowyer enjoys undergraduate teaching and is interested in using the principles of Universal Design to develop accessible curriculum. Bowyer is committed to mentoring young scientists, and frequently serves as a mentor to women and minority undergraduates.

 

To register for this event, please follow the link below:

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cy3o0mxkTAmSw59qVtmSCA

 

This is the last lecture in our Winter Science Speaker Series. Please visit our YouTube channel to watch the previous speakers and stay tuned for our Summer Speaker Series beginning in June.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnsCpmupLX6juHyeaVGydunBH6R58j8hS


This series is organized by the Maria Mitchell Association, a private non-profit organization. Founded in 1902, the MMA works to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. 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.

For Immediate Release

March 24, 2021

Contact: Kelly Bernatzky, MMA Development Associate

kbernatzky@mariamitchell.org

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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

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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

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