Annie Walker: The astronomer with an asteroid, but no known photographs

"Annie Walker was 15 years old when, in 1879, she started working as a computer at the Cambridge University Observatory. This involved hours and hours of routine, tedious, and intense calculations that astronomers disliked, but which, at the time, were essential for accurately measuring the positions of stars and planets. Calculators were usually boys, but observatories sometimes hired girls, as was the case with Walker, although her male colleagues had exclusive use of the telescopes."

"She managed to escape this humble status to become a senior observer in the Victorian era, documenting the positions of 1,585 stars individually and several thousand more collaboratively. In April, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) named an asteroid in the Themis group in her honor: (5400) Anniewalker = 1989 CM. Walker's name has escaped the shadows of oblivion and returned to the outer Main Belt following research by Mark Hurn, librarian at the Institute of Astronomy at the University of Cambridge, and historian Roger Hutchins."

"The two have been charting Walker's career for over a decade and have just published their findings in the journal The Antiquarian Astronomer. We clearly establish that she was, if not Britain's first professional female astronomer, then certainly the second, behind only Caroline Herschel, Hurn says via video link. In 1895, Walker was paid a salary of 90 pounds, making her the highest-paid woman in British astronomy at the time, far above all other computers."

Annie Walker began work at age 15 in 1879 as a computer at the Cambridge University Observatory, performing routine calculations essential for measuring celestial positions. Calculators were usually boys, but observatories sometimes hired girls; male colleagues retained exclusive telescope access. Walker rose to senior observer in the Victorian era, recording positions of 1,585 stars individually and several thousand more collaboratively. The International Astronomical Union named asteroid (5400) Anniewalker = 1989 CM in her honor. Mark Hurn and Roger Hutchins charted Walker's career and published their findings in The Antiquarian Astronomer. In 1895 Walker earned 90 pounds, the highest salary for a woman in British astronomy at that time.

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