Born: 15 September 1857, United States
Died: 4 Janaury 1904
Country most active: United States
Also known as: NA
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
Anna Winlock was a distinguished American astronomer and a notable member of the pioneering female computer group known as “the Harvard Computers.” Her significant achievements include creating a comprehensive star catalog of the polar regions and making substantial contributions to asteroid research, particularly regarding 433 Eros and 475 Ocllo.
Following her father’s passing, Winlock sought employment at the Harvard College Observatory to support her mother and four siblings. She specialized in the reduction of extensive, previously unprocessed astronomical observations left incomplete by her father. Despite initial financial constraints, she accepted a position at the observatory for twenty-five cents per hour, demonstrating her dedication to astronomical computations.
Within a year, Winlock was joined by three other women at the observatory, collectively known as “Pickering’s Harem.” Despite their remarkable contributions and the quality of their work, they faced criticism for low wages and demanding tasks. Winlock’s commitment to advancing women in astronomy remained steadfast, setting an example of equal capability between genders.
Throughout her thirty-year tenure at the Harvard College Observatory, Winlock engaged in various projects. Her most significant undertaking involved the reduction and computation of meridian circle observations, particularly within the “Cambridge Zone” of a global star catalog project initiated by her father. Over two decades, her team’s work significantly contributed to the Astronomische Gesellschaft Katalog, a valuable resource for numerous observatories worldwide. Additionally, Winlock supervised the creation of the Observatory Annals, a compilation of tables providing variable star positions in clusters, spanning 38 volumes.