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Miss Leavitt's Stars
- Author
- George Johnson
- Narrator
- Stephen Bowlby
- Publisher
- Blackstone Publishing
- Publish Date
- 23 August 2022
- Run Time
- 3 hours 56 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
- Genre
- Astrophysics
What to expect
A forgotten heroine of science and how she solved one of the crucial mysteries of the universe.
How big is the universe? In the early twentieth century, scientists took sides. One held that the entire universe was contained in the Milky Way galaxy. Their champion was the strong-willed astronomer Harlow Shapley. Another camp believed that the universe was so vast that the Milky Way was just one galaxy among billions―the view that would prevail, proven by the equally headstrong Edwin Hubble.
Almost forgotten is the Harvard Observatory “computer"―a human number cruncher hired to calculate the positions and luminosities of stars in astronomical photographs―who found the key to the mystery. Radcliffe-educated Henrietta Swan Leavitt, fighting ill health and progressive deafness, stumbled upon a new law that allowed astronomers to use variable stars―those whose brightness rhythmically changes―as a cosmic yardstick. Miss Leavitt’s Stars is both a masterly account of how we measure the universe and the moving story of a neglected genius.
Critics Review
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“Illuminating.”
New York Times
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“The well-known science writer George Johnson fashions a fascinating picture of Miss Leavitt’s life…His grace in bringing her to life is matched by his lucidity in explaining difficult scientific concepts.”
Scientific American
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“Johnson paints a luminous portrait of Leavitt and shows how her patient work sparked an explosion of astronomical creativity.”
Discover Magazine
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“An elegant and absorbing account of a signal event in humanity’s discovery of the deeper cosmos.”
Timothy Ferris, author of The Science of Liberty
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- George Johnson
- Narrator
- Stephen Bowlby
- Duration
- 3 hours 56 minutes
- Release Date
- 23 August 2022
- ISBN
- 9798212001137
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Blackstone Publishing
- Genre
- Astrophysics
Synopsis
A forgotten heroine of science and how she solved one of the crucial mysteries of the universe.How big is the universe? In the early twentieth century, scientists took sides. One held that the entire universe was contained in the Milky Way galaxy. Their champion was the strong-willed astronomer Harlow Shapley. Another camp believed that the universe was so vast that the Milky Way was just one galaxy among billions―the view that would prevail, proven by the equally headstrong Edwin Hubble.Almost forgotten is the Harvard Observatory “computer"―a human number cruncher hired to calculate the positions and luminosities of stars in astronomical photographs―who found the key to the mystery. Radcliffe-educated Henrietta Swan Leavitt, fighting ill health and progressive deafness, stumbled upon a new law that allowed astronomers to use variable stars―those whose brightness rhythmically changes―as a cosmic yardstick. Miss Leavitt’s Stars is both a masterly account of how we measure the universe and the moving story of a neglected genius.
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