Elizabeth Isis Pogson

The Madras Observatory, where Elizabeth Isis Pogson spent most of her career.
Credit: Indian Institute of Astrophysics Archives

(Elizabeth) Isis Pogson was born on September 28, 1852 in Oxford, England. Pogson was the eldest daughter of Norman Pogson, who became the director of India's Madras Observatory in 1860. Being the daughter of a respected astronomer likely propelled Isis's interest in astronomy. Growing up near this observatory must have been pretty neat! Isis worked at the observatory as her father's assistant and was given the post of a "computer" in 1873 (although, she was paid the equivalent of a cook's wage). She worked at the observatory for 25 years until she retired in 1898. During her later years at the observatory, she also served as the meteorological superintendent and reporter for the Madras (now Chennai) government.

In 1886, Isis was nominated by her father for a membership to the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) but was refused admission because of her gender. The first female members were finally admitted to the RAS in 1915, and Isis was successfully nominated in 1920. The Main Belt asteroid 42 Isis is named after her and was the first asteroid that her father discovered.