It never ceases to amaze me how many women of the past were great contributors to science, the arts and other fields, but only now are receiving recognition. Of late we find four nuns who were recruited by the Vatican to measure and map stars from plate-glass photographs. They cataloged the brightness and locations of almost half a million stars during their years of hard work.
All four sisters were originally expected to work as nurses. However, at the request of Jesuit Father John Hagen, who had previously headed the observatory at Georgetown University, USA, they joined the Vatican Observatory's star mapping project in the early 1900s. The nuns worked between 1909 and 1929, and their discoveries were published in a 10-volume catalog.
In 1909, Father Hagen approached the Superior General of the Suore di Maria Bambini, as he needed "two sisters with normal eyesight, patience and an aptitude for methodical and mechanical work". With reservations on the part of the General Council of the order, which specialized in nursing and education, two and later four sisters were sent.
And while the sisters were received and honored by Popes Benedict XV (1914-1922) and Pius XI (1922 to 1939), their work fell into oblivion.
Father Sabino Maffeo, a Jesuit priest who works at the Vatican Observatory, found their names while organizing papers for the archives. Today, the project to which the nuns contributed is as obscure as the nuns themselves, but at the time it was one of the largest scientific undertakings in history.
In honor of their accomplishments, Vatican Observatory astronomers suggested asteroids be named after them. All were approved and now have stars named for them.
The asteroids are named: (627981) Ponzoni, (634659) Colombo, (709193) Concettafinardi, and (714305) Panceri.
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