Astronomer Annie Jump Cannon was born today.
Event Description
Annie Jump Cannon was born today in 1863. Cannon, who was deaf for nearly her entire career, studied astronomy in college and is responsible for developing a system for classifying stars based on decreasing order of surface temperature.
Classroom Activity
Turn students' attention to the stars by pointing them toward the StarDate Constellation Guide, Enchanted Learning's Constellation page, and Norm McCarter's Constellation Legends. After choosing and constellation and reading about it across multiple sources, students can share their learning by creating a trading card for their constellation using the Trading Card Creator interactive or Trading Cards app.
Websites
This website sponsored by the Museum of Flight offers additional information on Cannon’s career and photos of her lab and other related images.
Learn about the American Astronomical Society award honoring Cannon at this website.
Cannon's page on this site is one of many profiles of femals astronmers, both historic and cotemporary.
This website offers students an image of the Google homepage honoring Cannon, as well as a chance to take a Star Quiz.