Google Doodle on Saturday, 12 June, celebrated 99th birthday of Italian professor, activist, author, and astrophysicist Margherita Hack. Professor Hack was the first Italian woman to earn a full professorship at the city’s university and was also the first female director of the Trieste Astronomical Observatory.
Along with her interests in satellites, asteroids, and the evolution of stellar atmospheres, she was also a strong advocate for progressive causes, animal protection, and equality for all.
Professor Margherita Hack died on 29 June 2013.
Google on Saturday, put an animated doodle of Margherita Hack sitting on a chair and looking into space.
Who was Margherita Hack?
Margherita Hack was born on 12 June 1922, Florence. After taking just one class in literature at university, she switched to physics major, which led her journey to become an astrophysicist.
She moved to Trieste in the year 1964, and as mentioned above, she became the first Italian woman to get a full professorship and also become the director of Trieste Astronomical Observatory.
She transformed the Observatory and made it a world famous nexus of scientific progress. Because of her innovations, she became internationally renowned in the astronomical community which also led to her memberships at NASA and the European Space Agency.
Professor Margherita Hack was also very popular because of her ability to explain complex scientific concepts to the general public. She published dozens of academic papers, books, and also two astronomical magazines.
According to the Google doodle blog, "She received a litany of accolades for her lifetime achievements, notably having asteroid 8558 Hack, which orbits between Mars and Jupiter, named in her honor in 1995."
The Italian Government honoured her with its highest award: the title of Dama di Gran Croce, when she was 90 years old.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)