Person

Webster, Betty Louise (1941 - 1990)

Born
20 May 1941
Died
29 September 1990
Paddington, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation
Astronomer
Alternative Names
  • Turtle, Betty Louise (married name)
  • Webster, Louise (Also known as)

Summary

Louise Webster was an astronomer who was recognised as having made significant research contributions in he fields of planetary nebulae (the subject of her PhD) and X-ray binaries. With her colleague Paul Murdin, she identified the powerful X-ray source Cygnus X-1 as the first clear candidate for a blackhole. Having completed her PhD at Mt Stromlo, she held several positions overseas. These included: the University of Wisconsin; the Royal Greenwich Observatory, Herstmonceux Castle, United Kingdom; and the South African Astronomical Observatory. On returning to Australia in 1978 Webster joined the School of Physics at the University of New South Wales where she was instrumental in establishing the University as a key centre for astronomical research, and introduced a fourth-year course in astronomy. Webster took a leading role in the development of the Automated Patrol Telescope, based at Siding Spring Mountain and opened 1989. She was active in the Astronomical Society of Australia and served on its council. The Louise Webster Prize, awarded annually by the Society, recognises outstanding research by a scientist in their early research career, based on the scientific impact of a published paper of which the nominee is the first author.

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Details

Chronology

? - 1972
Career position - South African Astronomical Observatory
1963
Career event - Elected Member, Royal Astronomical Society
1966
Career event - Foundation Member, Astronomical Society of Australia
1967
Education - PhD, Australian National University
1978 - 1990
Career position - Lecturer, School of Physics, University of New South Wales
1989
Career event - Elected to Council, Astronomical Society of Australia

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Published resources

Journal Articles

See also

  • Stevenson, Toner and Lomb, Nick, 'Gender diversity in Australian astronomy: the Astronomical Society of Australia 1966 - 2023', Historical Records of Australian Science, 36 (2025), 1-15, https://doi.org/doi:10.1071/HR24022. Details

Helen Cohn

Created: 31 October 2024, Last modified: 18 September 2025

EOAS ID: biogs/P007527b.htm

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