Cecilia Payne's Groundbreaking Discovery in Astronomy

Cecilia Payne, a 24-year-old doctoral student at the Harvard Observatory in 1924, made a monumental discovery challenging the prevailing understanding of stellar composition. Contrary to the belief that stars were made of earthly elements in similar proportions, Payne's analysis of stellar spectra revealed that hydrogen and helium were the primary components of stars, a revelation that revolutionized astronomy. Her findings initially faced skepticism, with her mentor doubting her results, but were later confirmed by Princeton's Henry Norris Russell. Despite not receiving immediate recognition, Payne's groundbreaking work laid the foundation for modern astrophysics.