The astronomer who discovered what stars are made of, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, has been commemorated with an English Heritage blue plaque at her teenage home in Notting Hill. The plaque at number 70 Lansdowne Road commemorates the place where Payne-Gaposchkin’s remarkable journey towards becoming one of the most important scientific minds of the modern era began.

A determined and academically gifted student, Payne-Gaposchkin pursued her studies with serious intent from an early age, despite the limited opportunities available to women at the time. It was while living at this address that she secured a scholarship to Newnham College, Cambridge, setting her on the path to an extraordinary scientific career that would lead her to transform our understanding of the universe.

Howard Spencer, Senior Historian at English Heritage, said:

“Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin was a scientist of exceptional brilliance and determination. This plaque marks the London home where, as a young woman, she began to develop the knowledge and ambition that would take her to the forefront of modern astronomy. Her story is not only one of groundbreaking discovery, but also of perseverance in the face of barriers that limited women in science.”

After leaving Britain for the United States, Payne-Gaposchkin earned a doctorate in astronomy from Harvard. Her groundbreaking 1925 thesis proposed that stars are composed primarily of hydrogen and helium, a discovery that fundamentally changed scientific understanding of the universe, even though it was initially met with scepticism. in 1927, she became the youngest astronomer ever to have a star of distinction next to her name in the publication American Men [sic] of Science.

Over the course of her career, she published hundreds of scientific papers and became the first woman to be appointed a full professor at Harvard University. Her research on stellar atmospheres and variable stars established her as one of the most significant astronomers of the twentieth century.

Other astronomers commemorated with a blue plaque include Sir Arthur Eddington, who encouraged Payne-Gaposchkin in her early career, and the scientific couple, Walter and Annie Maunder.

The English Heritage London Blue Plaques scheme is generously supported by David Pearl and members of the public.