Cecilia

Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin

Cecilia
#9,041
Most Influential Person Across History

British-born American astronomer

Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin's Academic­Influence.com Rankings

Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin
Physics
#517
Historical Rank
Astronomy
#95
Historical Rank
physics Degrees
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  • Physics

Why Is Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin Influential?

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According to Wikipedia, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin was a British-born American astronomer and astrophysicist who proposed in her 1925 doctoral thesis that stars were composed primarily of hydrogen and helium. Her groundbreaking conclusion was initially rejected because it contradicted the scientific wisdom of the time, which held that there were no significant elemental differences between the Sun and Earth. Independent observations eventually proved she was correct. Her work on the nature of variable stars was foundational to modern astrophysics.

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What Schools Are Affiliated With Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin?

Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin is affiliated with the following schools: