1928-

American astronomer who has advanced galactic dynamics knowledge. Rubin earned a Georgetown University astronomy doctorate and joined the staff of the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism at the Carnegie Institute of Washington. Focusing on dark matter, Rubin proved that such invisible material exists by showing that it influences observable celestial objects. She studied galaxies, particularly how they rotate internally and move through the universe. Rubin received the National Medal of Science in 1993. She published Bright Galaxies, Dark Matters in 1997.