Rubin's Galaxy (UGC 2885). Photo courtesy of STSci / Hubble Heritage Collection.
Rubin's Galaxy:
When you gaze at the celestial wonder pictured above, UGC 2885, it's important to know that it is the largest galaxy known to man, and it sits a staggering 232 million light years from earth! It is unique because it spends it's time spinning around within a sparsely populated area of the Universe. Because of this, it is a perfect spiral galaxy, just spinning away for what appears to be all eternity.....
But hidden within this galaxy's story is the story of Astronomer Vera Rubin. She studied this, and many other galaxy's rotation rates, and it was through these studies that she, along with physicist W. Kent Ford, proved the existence of dark matter! In the world of science, this is a monumental discovery that changed the way scientists now study and observe the universe. But no Nobel Prize was ever awarded for this amazing discovery - an oversight that, to this day, leaves a black stain on the Nobel Prize Committees hands. And that is because this oversight was most likely made because Vera was a woman.....
She was born in 1928, and although she was in love with the heavens the very first time she laid eyes on them, she grew up in a time in which the sciences were dominated by men. In fact, the discrimination towards women during that time was stifling. Her request for acceptance into several top universities to study Astronomy, most notably, Princeton, was denied because they didn't accept women. But she persevered, obtaining her Ph. D. in Astronomy from Georgetown University. But because of her gender, her applications for work at Observatories around the country were dismissed or denied. Finally, in 1964, she was granted a position at the Palomar Observatory in Southern California. And although an exciting time in her career, it was noted that Palomar only had one bathroom.... A Men's bathroom! But Vera created a "Woman" sign that she could hang on the door when in use, and from there, she went on to make scientific history with her dark matter studies......
In her later years, she became a champion for women in science, promoting and lecturing at universities across the country. And most importantly, she led by example the incredible achievements that women could contribute to the world of science!
Sadly, Vera died in 2016 at the age of 88....
To commemorate her life and scientific achievements, NASA has released this beautiful picture of UGC 2885, now nicknamed Rubin's Galaxy. Fitting for the woman who fell in love with the stars the first time she saw them, and spent the rest of her life in their awesome and glorious realm.
So, I had to do a song for Vera, and for this stunning Galaxy. But, as I think Vera would agree..... there is no song, or words, or anything on earth that can truly do justice in describing this awesome wonder of a galaxy, spinning aimlessly through the heavens!
But, if you listen closely, maybe you can hear it's stars twinkling from afar....