Register 11 Seats Remaining

The Women Who Measured Space (Adults)

REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED

Rebecca Tulloch will discuss women astronomers who achieved serious scientific accomplishments in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Join us for this presentation in honor of Women's History Month! In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, women astronomers of Harvard College Observatory calculated the distances, temperatures, and composition of the stars. They faced many challenges including sexism from their male colleagues whose common belief was that women were not worthy of earning college degrees and could never achieve serious scientific accomplishments. Henrietta Swan Leavitt led the shift in astronomical understanding of the scale and understanding of the universe. Annie Jump Cannon was instrumental in the development of the first serious attempt to organize and classify stars based on their temperatures and spectral types. Cecilia Payne discovered that the stars were primarily composed of hydrogen and helium. Everyone has heard of Galileo and Newton, now it’s time to learn about The Women Who Measured the Stars! 

Photography Policy: By attending one of the Library programs, you consent to be photographed or recorded. These images and recordings may be used for promotional materials such as the Library’s website, social media, and newsletters. Please inform a staff member if you do not wish to be photographed or recorded.

Accessibility: The Library makes every effort to ensure our programs can be enjoyed by all. If you have any concerns about accessibility or need to request a specific accommodation, please contact the Library. View our accessibility page at https://gpld.org/accessibility.

Upcoming events