by In Trieste
On 12 June 2021, a stamp commemorating Margherita Hack was issued by the Italian Post Office on the occasion of the centenary of her birth.
Who was Margherita Hack?
The popular scientist is credited with discovering the asteroid 8558 Hack, which was named in her honor.
In addition to being an academic, political activist and author, Hack popularized science in Italy, earning herself the nickname “The Lady of the Stars.”
An advocate of civil rights and equality, she championed progressive causes, animal protection and vegetarianism.
She was also a committed atheist, opposed to any form of organized religion or superstition, and was a particularly vocal critic of the Catholic Church and its hierarchy.
Born in Florence on 12 June 1922, Hack moved to Trieste in 1964 where she earned a full professorship at the city university – the first woman to do so.
She would go on to become the first female director of the Trieste Astronomical Observatory where her innovations were recognized internationally.
