Margaret Lindsay Huggins was born Margaret Lindsay Murray in Dublin on 14 August 1848. She later became a working astronomer in London and a pioneer in using spectroscopy and photography to study stars and other objects in space.

She developed an interest in astronomy and photography before marrying astronomer William Huggins in 1875. The couple worked together at his private observatory at Tulse Hill in south London.

William Huggins had already established himself through spectroscopy, which allowed astronomers to examine light from stars and nebulae for information about their physical properties. Margaret brought her photographic expertise to their work. Together they used photographic techniques to record spectra for detailed study.

Their partnership appears directly in their publications. Royal Society records name both William and Margaret Huggins as authors of research on the spectra of the Orion Nebula, Sirius, Uranus and Saturn. Their work led to the publication in 1899 of An Atlas of Representative Stellar Spectra, with both named as authors.

Margaret’s position within British astronomy remained restricted by her sex. Women could not become ordinary Fellows of the Royal Astronomical Society. Attempts to elect women in the 1890s were rejected because the Society’s charter referred to Fellows as male.

In 1903, the Society made Margaret Huggins and astronomy historian Agnes Mary Clerke Honorary Members. The Royal Astronomical Society now describes Huggins as a pioneer in astronomical spectroscopy.