Cannon

Definition

Annie Jump Cannon was an American astronomer who significantly contributed to the development of stellar classification. She cataloged over 350,000 stars and developed the Harvard Classification Scheme.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Annie Jump Cannon's work led to the creation of the Harvard Classification Scheme, which organizes stars based on their spectral characteristics.
2. She categorized stars into spectral classes O, B, A, F, G, K, and M based on their temperature and color.
3. Cannon's classification system is still used today and forms the basis for modern stellar classification.
4. She was one of the first women to receive an honorary doctorate from Oxford University for her contributions to astronomy.
5. Cannon's cataloging work helped pave the way for understanding stellar evolution and the chemical composition of stars.

Review Questions

Related terms

Spectral Class:

A category in stellar classification based on a star’s spectrum.

Harvard Classification Scheme: A system developed by Annie Jump Cannon that classifies stars according to their spectral types.

Stellar Evolution:

The process by which a star changes over time, influenced by factors such as mass and composition.