SSGS: Photographing the coronal streamers: Annie Maunder and the amateur/professional eclipse expeditions

During the total solar eclipse of 1898, equipped with a small camera, a new type of photographic plate and a borrowed telescope mount, Annie Maunder photographed the coronal streamers extending to a distance never previously managed. My talk will provide additional context on her photographic methods, and the significance of this moment in relation to both the ambitions of late-nineteenth century eclipse observers and Annie’s reputation as an astronomer. Working with more limited resources as an amateur observer, Maunder went against the grain of established eclipse photography practices. Following her success, observers in professional eclipse expeditions altered their photographic methods, demonstrating the continued fluidity between developing communities in this period. My talk will also explore how Maunder used expeditions to try and raise the status of women and amateurs in astronomy. The expeditions became an opportunity to demonstrate what could still be achieved with small instruments and no institutional backing. Capitalising on the large interest in expeditions, amongst astronomers and a wider public, Maunder and her husband used their experiences and network to promote an image of astronomy where amateurs and women were welcome and essential contributors.