Margherita Hack Italian astrophysicist and scientist, she was born in Florence on June 12, 1922, and today she would have turned ninety-six.
Multifaceted in her interests, as a student she was passionate about basketball, high and long jump champion, engaged in politics in the defense of civil rights and also committed to the defense of animal rights.
Graduated in Physics during the war, she was the first Italian woman to direct theTrieste Astronomical Observatory, where it remained until 87, and we can say that that institute was its jewel.
The years in Trieste by Margherita Hack
During the years he spent at the Trieste Observatory, he made the structure an Institute of international importance, committing himself to investing in Italy in the study of satellites.
Margherita Hack liked to remember how telescopes of 30-40 centimeters could be used during the war, since there was no light pollution. Just then we began to study the expansion of the Universe, the result of the intuitions of Edwin hubble. It was then that astrophysics began to work at the Observatory of Arcetri, where he worked on stellar spectroscopy, which later became his main interest.
In those places, Hack strongly felt the scientific legacy of Galileo Galilei, who died right there after being confined by the Holy Office because of his theories on heliocentrism. All of this greatly influenced Hack's scientific activity, as she herself later talked about it.
We remember the scientist as a member of many physical and astronomical societies, engaged in various American observatories, as well as a member of the working groups of ESA and NASA.
An indefatigable activity
Among her various activities, Hack occupied the chair of full professor of astronomy at the University of Trieste, and thanks to her, the development of the research activities promoted was enormous, in fact, in the 80s she created an "Institute of Astronomy "Which was then alternated in 1985 by a" Department of Astronomy "of which the scientist was director until 1990.
Hack also collaborated with the University of Berkeley (California), with the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton (New Jersey), then also with the Institut d'Astrophysique in Paris (France).
Also important is her work at the Utrecht and Groningen Observatories (Holland) and at the University of Mexico City, tirelessly managing to publish more than 250 works in international journals, including the Stellar Spectroscopy treatise, written in Berkeley in 1959 together with Otto Struve, is still considered today a fundamental text on the subject.
In 1978 the scholar founded the journal Astronomy, which is published every two months, and subsequently, together with Corrado Lamberti, he directed the popular science magazine “Le Stelle”.
In this regard, it should be emphasized that Hack as a science popularizer, over the years became a beacon for the general public, with conferences and many television appearances.
Throughout her life, Hack was always convinced of the existence of other life forms in the Universe, but that we will probably never come into contact with them due to the probable distance. Precisely because of this theory, she was certain that the UFO instead they did not exist and that they were only a fantasy.
Living astrophysics has received numerous awards and honors, including theOrder of merit of the Italian Republic and remember that there is also an asteroid that bears his name.
The scientist passed away on June 29, 2013 but her memory through her work is still vivid and many manifestations remember her.
In January 2018 the show was held at the Teatro dei Fabbri in Trieste: "8558Hack"Dedicated to her.
We remember in her honor the art competition "The lady of the stars", and also "Art is a woman" remembering Margherita Hack.
Romantically, Hack said she wanted to build a Wunderkammer in which she would put all the things dear to her heart, like a spinning top, since every year as a child she received one as a gift from her parents.
