The woman who stared at the sun - Alex Gendler
- 1,951,130 Views
- 5,469 Questions Answered
- TEDEd Animation
Let’s Begin…
In 1944, amateur astronomer Hisako Koyama’s latest endeavor was sketching the sun’s shifting surface. She spent weeks angling her telescope towards the sun and tracking every change she saw with drawings. Little did she know, these drawings were the start of one of the most important records of solar activity in human history. Alex Gendler details the incredible legacy of Koyama's work.
Additional Resources for you to Explore
Long overlooked, Hisako Koyama’s life and career are covered in several articles, as well as a more detailed scientific paper. You can also see a more detailed report on her solar observations, and how they have helped reconstruct the historical record. And though we have known about sunspots for a long time, we are only recently beginning to learn about their impact on the Earth and its climate.

TED-Ed
Lesson Creator
New York, NY
Create and share a new lesson based on this one.
More from Out Of This World
Design, Engineering & Technology
Yes, scientists are actually building an elevator to space
lesson duration 05:19
Science & Technology
What it's like to live on the International Space Station - Cady Coleman
lesson duration 06:17