On Feb. 10, 1842, Agnes Mary Clerke was born in County Cork, Ireland. As her bank manager father owned a telescope and the family observed at home, it is perhaps not surprising that Clerke showed interest in astronomy from an early age. She wrote her first history of the subject at age 15.
Clerke’s early schooling came from her brother, who tutored her in math, science, and physics, and she went on to spend 10 years in Italy pursuing an education in languages, the sciences, and classics. But it was when she returned from Italy in 1877 that Clerke embarked on the career path she would be best known for.
Although she was an observer, even spending two months at the observatory at the Cape of Good Hope studying variable stars, Clerke is primarily recognized as a historian of astronomy – sometimes even called “the founder of the history of astronomy.” Her most famous work, A Popular History of Astronomy During the Nineteenth Century, was published in 1885. The book was comprehensive, and her thoroughness and ability to clearly explain complicated concepts gained Clerke the regard of professional astronomers. A prolific writer, Clerke also wrote biographies of famous astronomers for Encyclopaedia Britannica and the Dictionary of National Biography.
Clerke was elected an honorary member of the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) in 1903, when women weren’t allowed full membership. In 2017, the RAS awarded their first Agnes Mary Clerke Medal for achievement in historical research.
