Michele Dougherty is the United Kingdom’s new Astronomer Royal ? the first woman to hold the post in its 350-year history ? and head of the Science and Technology Facilities Council. Her route to that landmark post began far from London.
Dougherty, 62, grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, where the absence of streetlights made the night sky vivid. Her interest in astronomy began at 10, when she viewed Jupiter’s moons and Saturn’s rings through a telescope she built with her sister and father. Initially pursuing other studies, her aptitude for mathematics led her into science at university. After completing her studies, she moved to Germany for a fellowship at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy before joining Imperial College London.
In 2005, while analyzing data from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, Dougherty spotted a magnetic field anomaly near Saturn’s moon Enceladus, prompting a follow-up flyby that revealed water vapor plumes ? a key clue in the search for extraterrestrial life.
Dougherty designs magnetic field instruments for NASA and ESA missions, including a magnetometer on ESA’s JUICE spacecraft, now en route to Jupiter’s moon Ganymede. U.K. chief scientific adviser Dame Angela McLean called Dougherty’s appointment a fitting recognition of her exceptional achievements and dedication to astronomy.
May For The Teen Times teen/1755743087/1613367679
1. Where did Michele Dougherty grow up?
2. What discovery did she help make on Saturn’s moon Enceladus?
3. Who praised her appointment as Astronomer Royal?
4. How did her interest in astronomy first begin?
1. Have you ever looked at the night sky and wondered about space?
2. If you could travel to any planet or moon, which one would you choose?
3. Do you think finding life in space would change how people see Earth?
4. What kind of science or career inspires you the most?
Michele Dougherty is the United Kingdom’s new Astronomer Royal ? the first woman to hold the post in its 350-year history ? and head of the Science and Technology Facilities Council. Her route to that landmark post began far from London.
