Today in Science

27th January. Beatrice Muriel Hill TINSLEY. Born 1941. Died 23 March 1981, aged 40.

What: English-born, New Zealand astronomer

Famous for: being the 'queen of the cosmos' and one of the most significant and creative theoreticians of modern astronomy.

Beatrice Hill was born in Chester, England and her family moved to Christchurch, then New Plymouth after the war. Her father, was mayor of New Plymouth for three years. Beatrice excelled at school - maths, languages, writing and music (violin). By age 14, she'd decided she wanted to be an astrophysicist. After graduating dux of New Plymouth Girls' High at age 16, she gained a scholarship and studied maths, chemistry and physics at Canterbury University. In 1961, she gained a Masters degree and married fellow physicist Brian Tinsley.

Brian was offered a job in Dallas, Texas but Beatrice was not able to find a job so moved to the University of Austin. She quickly gained a PhD with phenomenal marks. She went on to become a professor at Yale University.

Her research mainly centered on the evolution of galaxies and the stars within them and that galaxies undergo significant changes over their lifetime. She also help research whether the universe has edges or whether it continues to expand. 

in 1974, her contribution to astronomy gained her the Annie J Cannon Prize from the American Astronomical Society and the American Association of University Women.

In 1978, she was diagnosed with malignant melanoma but continued to publish work until shortly before her death in 1981.