Science Communication

Astronomy was a popular science topic for the public in the early twentieth century. Scientific communication and outreach were an important part of the Yerkes Observatory mission from its beginning. The staff of Yerkes, including the women, provided tours to hundreds of visitors each year. Public lectures were held in various places by the Yerkes astronomers, including during expeditions to observe solar eclipses. Lantern slides for educational use and public lectures were produced for sale and advertised in catalogs. Sometimes these lantern slides were hand-colored by women on the staff of the Observatory. Journalists like Mary Proctor, daughter of British popularizer of astronomy, Richard Proctor, wrote articles for newspapers and magazines about discoveries of the day and published books for general and younger readers on astronomy.