Adelaide Ames

Adelaide Ames ( * June 3, 1900, † June 26, 1932 in Squam Lake, New Hampshire) was an American astronomer. During her tenure at the observatory at Harvard, she worked together with Harlow Shapley the Shapley Ames catalog, which lists galaxies beyond the size class 13.2 and in 1932 appeared after her death. Ames was a member of the American Astronomical Society.

Life

Adelaide Ames father was TL Ames, who served as a Colonel in the U.S. Army.

She attended Vassar College until 1922 and then studied at Radcliffe College, where she graduated in 1924 with a Master of Arts. Originally they had planned to become a journalist, but found by his own admission in the area, no job ( " But a job in Astronomy what Offered To me and none in newspaper work. " )

During her studies she received in 1923 an assistant at the Harvard College Observatory, which she held until her death. Focus of their work was the cataloging of galaxies in the constellation Coma and Virgo; 1931 finished catalog included nearly 2800 objects. This work earned her membership in the " International Committee for Nebulae ".

On June 3, 1932 while vacationing on Squam Lake Ames made ​​with a friend on a boat tour. Here the canoe capsized and they drowned. Her body was found after a ten- day search on 5 July.