Today, Google has honoured the memory of Nuzhet Gokdogan, a Turkish astronomer, on her 113th birthday. Born in 1910, Gokdogan made significant contributions to astronomy throughout her life. She was a pioneer in the field and her work helped to shape the way we understand and study the stars.
Growing up in Turkey, Gokdogan had a lifelong fascination with astronomy. From an early age, she was determined to pursue a career in the sciences. She learned Turkish, German and French during her schooling. She began her studies at Lyon University in France where she completed her undergraduate degree in mathematics. In 1933, she completed her graduate degree in Physics from the University of Paris. After completing her studies, she worked as an intern at the Paris Observatory; however, later she decided to go back to Turkey.
Soon, Gokdogan became an associate professor at the Institute of Astronomy at the Faculty of Science at İstanbul University. The lectures and the textbooks were in foreign languages like German and English when she joined as the first Turkish employee. From Spherical Astronomy to Celestial Mechanics topics, she translated all six books and the course materials.
In 1937, Gokdogan made her most notable contributions to astronomy: she wrote a thesis on interstellar dark matter for classifying stars around the Sun, based on their brightness and colour. This system is still used today by astronomers as a way of understanding the characteristics of stars. She also developed a method for estimating star distances based on luminosity, which is still used as an important tool for understanding the universe.
Gokdogan also made significant contributions to the field of astrology. She studied the patterns of stars and planets and their influences on human lives, and she wrote several books on astrological theory and practice, algebra and cosmography before retiring in 1980.
Google Doodle is celebrating Nuzhet Gokdogan's legacy with an image of a starry night sky, representing her achievements in astronomy. In honour of her 113th birthday, Google has dedicated this Doodle to Gokdogan's memory and all that she achieved throughout her lifetime.
Nuzhet Gokdogan's legacy lives on today, both in astronomy and astrology. Her discoveries have shaped our understanding of stars and planets, while her dedication to women's rights has left an important mark on society. Google Doodle's celebration of Gokdogan is a fitting tribute to this remarkable woman's life and work and serves as an inspiration to us all.
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