text: Margaret's early education took place privately at her home in Dublin, where she studied art, classics, literature, languages and music.  She also spent some time at a school in Brighton, England. The exact location is unknown, but during this time period Brighton had at least two private boarding schools for girls, both now defunct.
  Despite her successful career in Astronomy, Mary received no formal training in this field. Instead, she studied popular Astronomy books, including Sir John Herschels Outlines of Astronomy'. Margaret also developed a keen interest in photography, which she studied in her spare time; something which would later play a role in her career.
  In 1873, during a continued effort to educate herself, Margaret read a copy of the 19th century publication Good Words.  Although a religious pamphlet, it often published articles on general subjects, and science.
  Here, she found a piece by the group The British Association for the Advancement of Science (now the British Science Association) about the recent work done by William Huggins on the spectroscope and constructed a spectroscope after finding inspiration in that article.
  Huggins interest and abilities in spectroscopy led to her introduction by astronomical instrument maker Howard Grubb to the astronomer William Huggins, whom she married on 8 September 1875 in the Parish Church at Monkstown, County Dublin. Evidence suggests that Margaret was instrumental in instigating William Huggins successful program in photographic research. She was a contributor to the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition.
  The London Times, in the notice of the death of Huggins, mentioned that Richard Proctor referred to her as the "Herschel of the Spectroscope". In her will she bequeathed to Wellesley College and to the College's Whitin Observatory some of her astronomy collection including cherished astronomical artefacts.