Miss Leavitt's Stars

Miss Leavitt's Stars

Author: George Johnson

Publisher: WW Norton

Published: 2006-05-30

Total Pages: 179

ISBN-13: 0393328562

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"A short, excellent account of [Leavitt’s] extraordinary life and achievements." —Simon Singh, New York Times Book Review George Johnson brings to life Henrietta Swan Leavitt, who found the key to the vastness of the universe—in the form of a “yardstick” suitable for measuring it. Unknown in our day, Leavitt was no more recognized in her own: despite her enormous achievement, she was employed by the Harvard Observatory as a mere number-cruncher, at a wage not dissimilar from that of workers in the nearby textile mills. Miss Leavitt’s Stars uncovers her neglected history.


Book Synopsis Miss Leavitt's Stars by : George Johnson

Download or read book Miss Leavitt's Stars written by George Johnson and published by WW Norton. This book was released on 2006-05-30 with total page 179 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A short, excellent account of [Leavitt’s] extraordinary life and achievements." —Simon Singh, New York Times Book Review George Johnson brings to life Henrietta Swan Leavitt, who found the key to the vastness of the universe—in the form of a “yardstick” suitable for measuring it. Unknown in our day, Leavitt was no more recognized in her own: despite her enormous achievement, she was employed by the Harvard Observatory as a mere number-cruncher, at a wage not dissimilar from that of workers in the nearby textile mills. Miss Leavitt’s Stars uncovers her neglected history.


Miss Leavitt's Stars: The Untold Story of the Woman Who Discovered How to Measure the Universe (Great Discoveries)

Miss Leavitt's Stars: The Untold Story of the Woman Who Discovered How to Measure the Universe (Great Discoveries)

Author: George Johnson

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company

Published: 2006-06-17

Total Pages: 179

ISBN-13: 0393348377

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"A short, excellent account of [Leavitt’s] extraordinary life and achievements." —Simon Singh, New York Times Book Review George Johnson brings to life Henrietta Swan Leavitt, who found the key to the vastness of the universe—in the form of a “yardstick” suitable for measuring it. Unknown in our day, Leavitt was no more recognized in her own: despite her enormous achievement, she was employed by the Harvard Observatory as a mere number-cruncher, at a wage not dissimilar from that of workers in the nearby textile mills. Miss Leavitt’s Stars uncovers her neglected history.


Book Synopsis Miss Leavitt's Stars: The Untold Story of the Woman Who Discovered How to Measure the Universe (Great Discoveries) by : George Johnson

Download or read book Miss Leavitt's Stars: The Untold Story of the Woman Who Discovered How to Measure the Universe (Great Discoveries) written by George Johnson and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2006-06-17 with total page 179 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A short, excellent account of [Leavitt’s] extraordinary life and achievements." —Simon Singh, New York Times Book Review George Johnson brings to life Henrietta Swan Leavitt, who found the key to the vastness of the universe—in the form of a “yardstick” suitable for measuring it. Unknown in our day, Leavitt was no more recognized in her own: despite her enormous achievement, she was employed by the Harvard Observatory as a mere number-cruncher, at a wage not dissimilar from that of workers in the nearby textile mills. Miss Leavitt’s Stars uncovers her neglected history.


Look Up!

Look Up!

Author: Robert Burleigh

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2013-02-19

Total Pages: 32

ISBN-13: 1442481102

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Henrietta Levitt was the first person to discover the scientific importance of a star’s brightness—so why has no one heard of her? Learn all about a female pioneer of astronomy in this picture book biography with audio. Henrietta Swan Leavitt was born on July 4, 1868, and she changed the course of astronomy when she was just twenty-five years old. Henrietta spent years measuring star positions and sizes from photographs taken by the telescope at the Harvard College Observatory, where she worked. After Henrietta observed that certain stars had a fixed pattern to their changes, her discovery made it possible for astronomers to measure greater and greater distances—leading to our present understanding of the vast size of the universe. An astronomer of her time called Henrietta Leavitt “one of the most important women ever to touch astronomy,” and another close associate said she had the “best mind at the Harvard Observatory.” Henrietta Leaveitt's story will inspire young women and aspiring scientists of all kinds and includes additional information about the solar system and astronomy. This eBook edition also includes audio accompaniment.


Book Synopsis Look Up! by : Robert Burleigh

Download or read book Look Up! written by Robert Burleigh and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2013-02-19 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Henrietta Levitt was the first person to discover the scientific importance of a star’s brightness—so why has no one heard of her? Learn all about a female pioneer of astronomy in this picture book biography with audio. Henrietta Swan Leavitt was born on July 4, 1868, and she changed the course of astronomy when she was just twenty-five years old. Henrietta spent years measuring star positions and sizes from photographs taken by the telescope at the Harvard College Observatory, where she worked. After Henrietta observed that certain stars had a fixed pattern to their changes, her discovery made it possible for astronomers to measure greater and greater distances—leading to our present understanding of the vast size of the universe. An astronomer of her time called Henrietta Leavitt “one of the most important women ever to touch astronomy,” and another close associate said she had the “best mind at the Harvard Observatory.” Henrietta Leaveitt's story will inspire young women and aspiring scientists of all kinds and includes additional information about the solar system and astronomy. This eBook edition also includes audio accompaniment.


The Glass Universe

The Glass Universe

Author: Dava Sobel

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2017-10-31

Total Pages: 353

ISBN-13: 0143111345

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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Dava Sobel, the "inspiring" (People), little-known true story of women's landmark contributions to astronomy A New York Times Book Review Notable Book Named one of the best books of the year by NPR, The Economist, Smithsonian, Nature, and NPR's Science Friday Nominated for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award "A joy to read.” —The Wall Street Journal In the mid-nineteenth century, the Harvard College Observatory began employing women as calculators, or “human computers,” to interpret the observations their male counterparts made via telescope each night. At the outset this group included the wives, sisters, and daughters of the resident astronomers, but soon the female corps included graduates of the new women's colleges—Vassar, Wellesley, and Smith. As photography transformed the practice of astronomy, the ladies turned from computation to studying the stars captured nightly on glass photographic plates. The “glass universe” of half a million plates that Harvard amassed over the ensuing decades—through the generous support of Mrs. Anna Palmer Draper, the widow of a pioneer in stellar photography—enabled the women to make extraordinary discoveries that attracted worldwide acclaim. They helped discern what stars were made of, divided the stars into meaningful categories for further research, and found a way to measure distances across space by starlight. Their ranks included Williamina Fleming, a Scottish woman originally hired as a maid who went on to identify ten novae and more than three hundred variable stars; Annie Jump Cannon, who designed a stellar classification system that was adopted by astronomers the world over and is still in use; and Dr. Cecilia Helena Payne, who in 1956 became the first ever woman professor of astronomy at Harvard—and Harvard’s first female department chair. Elegantly written and enriched by excerpts from letters, diaries, and memoirs, The Glass Universe is 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.


Book Synopsis The Glass Universe by : Dava Sobel

Download or read book The Glass Universe written by Dava Sobel and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2017-10-31 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From #1 New York Times bestselling author Dava Sobel, the "inspiring" (People), little-known true story of women's landmark contributions to astronomy A New York Times Book Review Notable Book Named one of the best books of the year by NPR, The Economist, Smithsonian, Nature, and NPR's Science Friday Nominated for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award "A joy to read.” —The Wall Street Journal In the mid-nineteenth century, the Harvard College Observatory began employing women as calculators, or “human computers,” to interpret the observations their male counterparts made via telescope each night. At the outset this group included the wives, sisters, and daughters of the resident astronomers, but soon the female corps included graduates of the new women's colleges—Vassar, Wellesley, and Smith. As photography transformed the practice of astronomy, the ladies turned from computation to studying the stars captured nightly on glass photographic plates. The “glass universe” of half a million plates that Harvard amassed over the ensuing decades—through the generous support of Mrs. Anna Palmer Draper, the widow of a pioneer in stellar photography—enabled the women to make extraordinary discoveries that attracted worldwide acclaim. They helped discern what stars were made of, divided the stars into meaningful categories for further research, and found a way to measure distances across space by starlight. Their ranks included Williamina Fleming, a Scottish woman originally hired as a maid who went on to identify ten novae and more than three hundred variable stars; Annie Jump Cannon, who designed a stellar classification system that was adopted by astronomers the world over and is still in use; and Dr. Cecilia Helena Payne, who in 1956 became the first ever woman professor of astronomy at Harvard—and Harvard’s first female department chair. Elegantly written and enriched by excerpts from letters, diaries, and memoirs, The Glass Universe is 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.


Silent Sky

Silent Sky

Author: Lauren Gunderson

Publisher: Dramatists Play Service, Inc.

Published: 2015-01-01

Total Pages: 65

ISBN-13: 0822233800

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THE STORY: When Henrietta Leavitt begins work at the Harvard Observatory in the early 1900s, she isn’t allowed to touch a telescope or express an original idea. Instead, she joins a group of women “computers,” charting the stars for a renowned astronomer who calculates projects in “girl hours” and has no time for the women’s probing theories. As Henrietta, in her free time, attempts to measure the light and distance of stars, she must also take measure of her life on Earth, trying to balance her dedication to science with family obligations and the possibility of love. The true story of 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt explores a woman’s place in society during a time of immense scientific discoveries, when women’s ideas were dismissed until men claimed credit for them. Social progress, like scientific progress, can be hard to see when one is trapped among earthly complications; Henrietta Leavitt and her female peers believe in both, and their dedication changed the way we understand both the heavens and Earth.


Book Synopsis Silent Sky by : Lauren Gunderson

Download or read book Silent Sky written by Lauren Gunderson and published by Dramatists Play Service, Inc.. This book was released on 2015-01-01 with total page 65 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: THE STORY: When Henrietta Leavitt begins work at the Harvard Observatory in the early 1900s, she isn’t allowed to touch a telescope or express an original idea. Instead, she joins a group of women “computers,” charting the stars for a renowned astronomer who calculates projects in “girl hours” and has no time for the women’s probing theories. As Henrietta, in her free time, attempts to measure the light and distance of stars, she must also take measure of her life on Earth, trying to balance her dedication to science with family obligations and the possibility of love. The true story of 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt explores a woman’s place in society during a time of immense scientific discoveries, when women’s ideas were dismissed until men claimed credit for them. Social progress, like scientific progress, can be hard to see when one is trapped among earthly complications; Henrietta Leavitt and her female peers believe in both, and their dedication changed the way we understand both the heavens and Earth.


Miss Leavitt's Stars

Miss Leavitt's Stars

Author: George Johnson

Publisher:

Published: 2008-11

Total Pages: 162

ISBN-13: 9781437963717

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A century ago, a brilliant woman found the key to the vastness of the universe; her name was Henrietta Swan Leavitt. She was hired by Harvard Univ. to calculate the positions and luminosities of stars in astronomical photos. She discovered a new law, one that would transform the field of cosmology. Because of Leavitt¿s discovery, astronomers could use a kind of star known as a ¿variable¿ as a cosmic yardstick. Her law settled an important astronomical question; how big is the universe? Using Leavitt¿s law, the astronomer Edwin Hubble was able to prove that there were galaxies beyond the Milky Way, and that the universe is unfathomably large. ¿A masterly account of how we measure the universe and the moving story of a neglected genius.¿ Illus.


Book Synopsis Miss Leavitt's Stars by : George Johnson

Download or read book Miss Leavitt's Stars written by George Johnson and published by . This book was released on 2008-11 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A century ago, a brilliant woman found the key to the vastness of the universe; her name was Henrietta Swan Leavitt. She was hired by Harvard Univ. to calculate the positions and luminosities of stars in astronomical photos. She discovered a new law, one that would transform the field of cosmology. Because of Leavitt¿s discovery, astronomers could use a kind of star known as a ¿variable¿ as a cosmic yardstick. Her law settled an important astronomical question; how big is the universe? Using Leavitt¿s law, the astronomer Edwin Hubble was able to prove that there were galaxies beyond the Milky Way, and that the universe is unfathomably large. ¿A masterly account of how we measure the universe and the moving story of a neglected genius.¿ Illus.


Beyond the Stars

Beyond the Stars

Author: Paolo Saraceno

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 2012-07-17

Total Pages: 388

ISBN-13: 9814483818

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"What is the origin of the universe? Are we alone in the Universe?" Using clear and plain language, the author explores these two interesting scientific-philosophical themes with a broad range of studies, including astronomy, cosmology, chemistry, biology, geology and planet science. The first part discusses the origins of everything, from the Big Bang to humankind. It follows the long course of evolution — from original matter to the formation of more complex structures, from the furthest galaxies to the nearest stars, from planets to organic molecules, from the first and most elementary forms of life through to the reptiles, the dinosaurs and the advent of man. The second part traces the history of the Earth and evaluates the risks of extinction in the future as predicted by scientists. Is the Earth the only habitable planet in the Universe? This question initiates the discussion on the importance of the Earth's position in the solar system and the significance of our geologically alive planet. The final part is dedicated to the search for extraterrestrial beings with identifiable life forms. It also describes attempts for searching, from the past to the near future. This remarkable book provides the best answers we have to the epic questions about us and our place in the universe. Contents: "Origins: "Our OriginsThe Beginning of EverythingOrigins of Stars and PlanetsThe Origin of the ElementsThe Origins of Life"The Case of the Earth: "History of the EarthExtinctionsAn Inhabitable PlanetThe Importance of Continental DriftThe Earth: A Rare Planet?"In Search of Another Gaia: "In Search of ETIThe MeasurementAppendix A: Astronomical ObservationsAppendix B: A Few Numbers Readership: General audience interested in general science.


Book Synopsis Beyond the Stars by : Paolo Saraceno

Download or read book Beyond the Stars written by Paolo Saraceno and published by World Scientific. This book was released on 2012-07-17 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "What is the origin of the universe? Are we alone in the Universe?" Using clear and plain language, the author explores these two interesting scientific-philosophical themes with a broad range of studies, including astronomy, cosmology, chemistry, biology, geology and planet science. The first part discusses the origins of everything, from the Big Bang to humankind. It follows the long course of evolution — from original matter to the formation of more complex structures, from the furthest galaxies to the nearest stars, from planets to organic molecules, from the first and most elementary forms of life through to the reptiles, the dinosaurs and the advent of man. The second part traces the history of the Earth and evaluates the risks of extinction in the future as predicted by scientists. Is the Earth the only habitable planet in the Universe? This question initiates the discussion on the importance of the Earth's position in the solar system and the significance of our geologically alive planet. The final part is dedicated to the search for extraterrestrial beings with identifiable life forms. It also describes attempts for searching, from the past to the near future. This remarkable book provides the best answers we have to the epic questions about us and our place in the universe. Contents: "Origins: "Our OriginsThe Beginning of EverythingOrigins of Stars and PlanetsThe Origin of the ElementsThe Origins of Life"The Case of the Earth: "History of the EarthExtinctionsAn Inhabitable PlanetThe Importance of Continental DriftThe Earth: A Rare Planet?"In Search of Another Gaia: "In Search of ETIThe MeasurementAppendix A: Astronomical ObservationsAppendix B: A Few Numbers Readership: General audience interested in general science.


What Stars Are Made Of

What Stars Are Made Of

Author: Donovan Moore

Publisher:

Published: 2020

Total Pages: 321

ISBN-13: 0674237374

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Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin was the revolutionary scientific thinker who discovered what stars are made of. But her name is hard to find alongside those of Hubble, Herschel, and other great astronomers. Donovan Moore tells the story of Payne's life of determination against all the obstacles a patriarchal society erected against her.


Book Synopsis What Stars Are Made Of by : Donovan Moore

Download or read book What Stars Are Made Of written by Donovan Moore and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin was the revolutionary scientific thinker who discovered what stars are made of. But her name is hard to find alongside those of Hubble, Herschel, and other great astronomers. Donovan Moore tells the story of Payne's life of determination against all the obstacles a patriarchal society erected against her.


The Georgian Star

The Georgian Star

Author: Michael D. Lemonick

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 212

ISBN-13: 9780393065749

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"In 1781, William Herschel won international fame for discovering Uranus, the seventh planet from the sun. In documenting a new planet - something no one had done since the dawn of civilization - he expanded our perception that we are part of something much greater than the immediately visible solar system." "Herschel remains most famous for this discovery, but, as The Georgian Star makes vividly clear, he accomplished much more. After a successful career as a professional musician, he turned his attention to astronomy in his mid-thirties. With his sister Caroline as a partner, he pioneered techniques that are still used by astronomers today. The Herschels were the first to map the night sky, listing and categorizing every object they could see. To do so, they built a massive, forty-foot-tall telescope under the patronage of King George III. They were also the first to propose that the visible stars surrounding our little planet are only a fraction of those that make up a continually evolving universe. William's restless intelligence led further still, to the discovery of infrared radiation - invisible radiation that has a wavelength longer than microwaves but shorter than that of visible light. Caroline assembled an exhaustive catalog of nebulae, the beautiful, cloudy assemblages of dust and stellar light." "Erudite and accessible, The Georgian Star is a lively portrait of the pair who invented modern astronomy."--BOOK JACKET.


Book Synopsis The Georgian Star by : Michael D. Lemonick

Download or read book The Georgian Star written by Michael D. Lemonick and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2009 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "In 1781, William Herschel won international fame for discovering Uranus, the seventh planet from the sun. In documenting a new planet - something no one had done since the dawn of civilization - he expanded our perception that we are part of something much greater than the immediately visible solar system." "Herschel remains most famous for this discovery, but, as The Georgian Star makes vividly clear, he accomplished much more. After a successful career as a professional musician, he turned his attention to astronomy in his mid-thirties. With his sister Caroline as a partner, he pioneered techniques that are still used by astronomers today. The Herschels were the first to map the night sky, listing and categorizing every object they could see. To do so, they built a massive, forty-foot-tall telescope under the patronage of King George III. They were also the first to propose that the visible stars surrounding our little planet are only a fraction of those that make up a continually evolving universe. William's restless intelligence led further still, to the discovery of infrared radiation - invisible radiation that has a wavelength longer than microwaves but shorter than that of visible light. Caroline assembled an exhaustive catalog of nebulae, the beautiful, cloudy assemblages of dust and stellar light." "Erudite and accessible, The Georgian Star is a lively portrait of the pair who invented modern astronomy."--BOOK JACKET.


Pictures of You

Pictures of You

Author: Caroline Leavitt

Publisher: Hachette UK

Published: 2011-01-25

Total Pages: 387

ISBN-13: 1616200324

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A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “Magically written, heartbreakingly honest.” —Jodi Picoult Two women running away from their marriages collide on a foggy highway, killing one of them. The survivor, Isabelle, is left to pick up the pieces, not only of her own life, but of the lives of the devastated husband and fragile son that the other woman, April, has left behind. Together, they try to solve the mystery of where April was running to, and why. As these three lives intersect, the book asks, How well do we really know those we love—and how do we forgive the unforgivable? Caroline Leavitt's new novel With or Without You is on sale August 4, 2020.


Book Synopsis Pictures of You by : Caroline Leavitt

Download or read book Pictures of You written by Caroline Leavitt and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2011-01-25 with total page 387 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “Magically written, heartbreakingly honest.” —Jodi Picoult Two women running away from their marriages collide on a foggy highway, killing one of them. The survivor, Isabelle, is left to pick up the pieces, not only of her own life, but of the lives of the devastated husband and fragile son that the other woman, April, has left behind. Together, they try to solve the mystery of where April was running to, and why. As these three lives intersect, the book asks, How well do we really know those we love—and how do we forgive the unforgivable? Caroline Leavitt's new novel With or Without You is on sale August 4, 2020.