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The glass universe : how the ladies of the Harvard Observatory took the measure of the stars / Dava Sobel.
Author
Sobel, Dava
[Browse]
Format
Book
Language
English
Published/Created
New York, New York : Viking, [2016]
©2016
Description
xii, 324 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 24 cm
Availability
Available Online
Online Content
Copies in the Library
Location
Call Number
Status
Location Service
Notes
Lewis Library - Stacks
QB34.5 .S63 2016
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Details
Subject(s)
Women in astronomy
—
Massachusetts
—
History
[Browse]
Women astronomers
—
Biography
[Browse]
Women mathematicians
—
Massachusetts
—
History
[Browse]
Astronomy
—
History
—
19th century
[Browse]
Astronomy
—
History
—
20th century
[Browse]
Harvard College Observatory
[Browse]
Bailey, Solon I. (Solon Irving) 1854-1931
[Browse]
Cannon, Annie Jump 1863-1941
[Browse]
Draper, Mary Anna 1839-1914
[Browse]
Fleming, Williamina P. 1857-1911
[Browse]
Leavitt, Henrietta Swan 1868-1921
[Browse]
Maury, Antonia C. 1866-1952
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Payne-Gaposchkin, Cecilia 1900-1979
[Browse]
Pickering, Edward C. (Edward Charles) 1846-1919
[Browse]
Shapley, Harlow 1885-1972
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Library of Congress genre(s)
Biographies
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Getty AAT genre
collective biographies
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Summary note
The little-known true story of the unexpected and remarkable contributions to astronomy made by a group of women working in the Harvard College Observatory from the late 1800s through the mid-1900s.-- Provided by publisher.
In the mid-nineteenth century, the Harvard College Observatory began employing women as "human computers" to interpret the observations their male counterparts made via telescope each night. As photography transformed the practice of astronomy, the ladies turned from computation to studying the stars captured nightly on glass photographic plates. The support of Mrs. Anna Palmer Draper, the widow of a pioneer in stellar photography, enabled the women to discern what stars were made of, divide the stars into meaningful categories for further research, and find a way to measure distances across space by starlight. Sobel tells the hidden history of the women whose contributions to the burgeoning field of astronomy forever changed our understanding of the stars and our place in the universe.
Bibliographic references
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents
Part one: The colors of starlight. Mrs. Draper's intent ; What Miss Maury saw ; Miss Bruce's largesse ; Stella nova ; Bailey's picture from Peru
Part two: Oh, be a fine girl, kiss me!. Mrs. Fleming's title ; Pickering's "harem" ; Lingua franca ; Miss Leavitt's relationship ; The Pickering fellows
Part three: In the depths above. Shapley's "kilo-girl" hours ; Miss Payne's thesis ; The Observatory Pinafore ; Miss Cannon's prize ; The lifetimes of stars
Some highlights in the history of the Harvard College Observatory
A catalogue of Harvard astronomers, assistants, and associates.
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Other title(s)
How the ladies of the Harvard Observatory took the measure of the stars
ISBN
9780670016952 ((hardcover))
0670016950 ((hardcover))
SuDoc no.
-
LCCN
2016029496
OCLC
952469237
Statement on language in description
Princeton University Library aims to describe library materials in a manner that is respectful to the individuals and communities who create, use, and are represented in the collections we manage.
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The glass universe : how the ladies of the Harvard Observatory took the measure of the stars / Dava Sobel.
id
99101527593506421