Get to Know
Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin
Discover why we turned this science hero into a superhero
ABOUT CECILIA
Superhero Backstory
Cecilia draws her strength from the sun and can blast energy pulses from her hands.
When Cecilia inadvertently triggered a C-N-O cycle and found herself left with incredible superpowers, her life was forever changed.
Cecilia's energy blasts are often as powerful as they are uncontrollable but she has made every attempt to harness the powers and use them for the greater good.
With help from Xebel, the captain of Team Remarkablz, Cecilia found a place for herself and fights crime throughout the solar system.
When Cecilia inadvertently triggered a C-N-O cycle and found herself left with incredible superpowers, her life was forever changed.
Cecilia's energy blasts are often as powerful as they are uncontrollable but she has made every attempt to harness the powers and use them for the greater good.
With help from Xebel, the captain of Team Remarkablz, Cecilia found a place for herself and fights crime throughout the solar system.
Cecilia Helena Payne-Gaposchkin
Occupation: Astrophysicist
Born: 1900
Died: 1979
Nationality: British
Cecilia was a British-born American astronomer and astrophysicist who discovered that star were composed mostly of hydrogen and helium.
Her groundbreaking conclusion was initially rejected because it contradicted the scientific wisdom of the time, which held that there were no significant elemental differences between the Sun and Earth. Independent observations eventually proved she was actually correct.
Born: 1900
Died: 1979
Nationality: British
Cecilia was a British-born American astronomer and astrophysicist who discovered that star were composed mostly of hydrogen and helium.
Her groundbreaking conclusion was initially rejected because it contradicted the scientific wisdom of the time, which held that there were no significant elemental differences between the Sun and Earth. Independent observations eventually proved she was actually correct.
Top Quarkz
Cecilia features in our signature card game, Top Quarkz. The game supports development of maths, literacy and decision making skills all while learning about some of the most impressive scientific discoveries throughout history.
We've explained the drawing and her playing card below so you can learn more about both this superhero and her real-life identity.
We've explained the drawing and her playing card below so you can learn more about both this superhero and her real-life identity.
CECILIA'S CARD EXPLAINED
Cecilia draws her strength from the sun and can blast energy pulses from her hands.
The explosion behind Cecilia is a solar flare.
Solar flares occur when magnetic energy that has built up in the Sun's atmosphere is suddenly released.
Solar flares occur when magnetic energy that has built up in the Sun's atmosphere is suddenly released.
Superpower
Discovery
In her thesis Stellar Atmospheres, she stated that stars are made of Hydrogen and Helium.
Cecilia was born England in 1900.
Location
SideKick
Astronomer Otto Struve described her thesis as "the most brilliant PhD thesis ever written in astronomy."
In darkness, without the light from the Sun, Cecilia can't recharge her powers.
Weakness
Each drawing we create has one or more hidden treasure(s) about our superheroes' life experiences, depictions in art, jobs or discoveries. Did you find the ones in this drawing?
We have packed a lot into our Top Quarkz playing cards - from amazing imagined superpowers to biographical information and hidden treasures.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
What Do Astrophysicists Do?
Astrophysics is a branch of science that tries to explain the birth, life and death of stars, planets, galaxies, nebulae and other objects in the universe.
Video credit: SimplyInfo
Video credit: SimplyInfo
Find out more about Cecilia
In this video you can find out more about one of the most influential women in astronomy!
Video credit: SciShow Space
Video credit: SciShow Space
How to become an Astrophysicist
What do Astrophysicist do all day? check out this video for a Day in the life of two Astrophysicists
Video credit: Nottingham Science
Video credit: Nottingham Science
What Are Stars?
Find out what makes stars what they are, and discover of some of stars in space!
Video credit: SciShow Kids
Video credit: SciShow Kids
The Sun is a giant ball of burning hot gasses and yes the sun is a star (yes, really!). Find out more about this yellow dwarf star in this video.
Video credit: Free School
Video credit: Free School
Is The Sun A Star?
"Your reward will be the widening of the horizon as you climb. And if you achieve that reward, you will ask no other.."
Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin
Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin
The Sun contains 99.8 percent of all matter in the solar system. The violent process of nuclear fusion powers the tremendous energy output of the sun.
Video credit: Up and Atom
Video credit: Up and Atom
How Does Fusion Power the Sun?
Sign up to our Newsletter
Facts About Stars!
Stars start out in giant clouds of dust called nebulae. Almost like a star Nursery.
Stars twinkle because of movement in the Earth's atmosphere.
The Smaller a star is, the longer it will live.
There are many different types of stars and they are categorised by their colour.
DISCOVER MORE