Background
When Huggins was young, her mother died and her father remarried, leaving her on her own much of the time.
When Huggins was young, her mother died and her father remarried, leaving her on her own much of the time.
According to these sources, Margaret"s grandfather taught her the constellations, and as a result of this she began studying the heavens with home-made instruments. She constructed a spectroscope after finding inspiration in articles on astronomy in the periodical Good Words. Huggins" interest and abilities in spectroscopy led to her introduction to the astronomer William Huggins, whom she married in 1875.
Evidence suggests that Huggins was instrumental in instigating William Huggins" successful program in photographic research.
She was a contributor to the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition. The London Times, in the notice of the death of Huggins, mentioned that Richard Proctor referred to her as the “Herschel of the Spectroscope”.
In her will she bequeathed to Wellesley College and to Wellesley College Whitin Observatory some of her astronomy collection including cherished astronomical artifacts.