By Deborah Shapley, granddaughter of Harlow Shapley, with many thanks to Alexandra Witze for contributing this story to the blog.
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| Margaret with two children. Credit: Shapley-Matthrews Collection |
Martha Betz Shapley was known as First Lady of the Harvard College Observatory (HCO) during the 32 years her husband Harlow was its Director. “The friendship and hospitality she extended to members of the Harvard astronomical family…was one of the highest experiences of my younger days,” wrote Leo Goldberg on her death in 1981.
She welcomed scared new graduate students, faculty, staff and guests. Her household was enlivened by a busy husband and five children. She was a fine pianist who made music part of Residence life. HCO became a “mecca for astronomers from around the world” in the Shapley years.
From 1915 - 1921, Martha published several [astronomy] papers of her own; she was also Harlow’s co-author; he credits her in the text of some of his “great papers” series. Maybe Martha could have continued a full astronomy career and as a mother of five. But her husband’s scientific activity and fame exploded so their lives took unexpected busy paths.
Read more at
https://harlowshapley.org/blog/martha-betz-shapley
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