Planetary scientist Michele Dougherty made first female UK astronomer royal

Physicist who worked on Nasa Cassini mission absolutely delighted' after being awarded 350-year-old title

A planetary scientist whose research revealed the possibility of extraterrestrial life on one of Saturn's moons has been made the first female astronomer royal.

Prof Michele Dougherty, a leading space physicist who was a researcher for the Nasa Cassini mission, has been awarded the 350-year-old honorary title. In 2021, Catherine Heymans, a professor of astrophysics at the University of Edinburgh, became the first female astronomer royal for Scotland, a post established in 1834.