Miss Hirst

Miss Hirst (fl. 1850 – 1870s) was an early New Zealand astronomical observer. Her full name and many other biographical details are unknown.

Biography In 1875, Samuel John Lambert, a Professor of Music at Auckland University College, communicated a paper to the Monthly Notes of the Royal Astronomical Society in London, of which he was a fellow. Lambert described Miss Hirst as a resident of Auckland, and a "practical and careful observer", having been "engaged with astronomical observations for the past sixteen years" (i.e. since 1859). Astronomy historian Thomas Hockey regards her observations of the 1875 apparition of Jupiter as the best southern hemisphere report.

Hirst reported observations of colour changes in the belts and zones of Jupiter from February to May of 1875, during the planet's opposition. Interest in Jupiter was great at this time. A "dramatic reddening" of the equatorial zone of the planet had been noticed in 1869, which focused attention on the desirability of tracking colour changes, and ultimately led to the modern discovery of the Great Red Spot.

Hirst used Lord Rosse's notations for the bands and zones of colour, which had been published in the Monthly Notices in 1874. Pope, who was born in Jersey, emigrated with his parents to Ballarat in 1852, where he was appointed headmaster of a school in 1858. He moved to Dunedin in 1863 where he was assistant master at Otago Boys High School, but in 1871 returned to Ballarat. Pope then returned once more to New Zealand in 1880 as Inspector of Schools. There is no record of him spending time in Auckland or leaving the telescope in New Zealand during his return to Ballarat, although in 1882 a JD Hewitt reported observations made in Wairarapa using the reflector, borrowed from Pope.