Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Ada Lovelace Day, Tuesday, October 11th. Today the Sun will be up for 11 hours and 11 minutes, setting at 7:05, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:54. The Moon, 2 days past full, will rise at 8:02 this evening.

Ada Lovelace (1815-1852), or more properly Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace, was the daughter of Lord Byron and worked for Charles Babbage, a brilliant mechanical engineer and mathematician in the early 19th century. She is considered the first computer programmer. She devised a way to use the same punch cards that were used on the Jacquard loom to store and run her programs, even though Babbage was unable to complete his mechanical computer the Analytical Engine in the mid 1800s. This day is set aside to celebrate the accomplishments of all the women of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, (STEM). The computer language, Ada, was named after her, and was created for the US Department of Defense.

The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT – 4 hours). They may be different for your location.

Addendum

Portrait of Ada Lovelace by Margaret Sarah Carpenter, 1836

Part of Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine on display, in 1843, left of centre in this engraving of the King George III Museum in King’s College, London. Unknown engraver.

Trial model of a part of the Analytical Engine, built by Charles Babbage, as displayed at the Science Museum (London). By Bruno Barral (ByB), CC BY-SA 2.5.