Henrietta Swan Leavitt (/ ˈlɛvɪt /; July 4, 1868 – December 12, 1921 [2]) was an American astronomer. [1] Her discovery of how to effectively measure vast distances to remote galaxies led to a shift in the scale and understanding of the scale and the nature of the universe. [3]

Dec 8, 2024 · Henrietta Swan Leavitt, American astronomer known for her discovery of the relationship between period and luminosity in Cepheid variables, pulsating stars that vary regularly in brightness in periods ranging from a few days to several months.

Henrietta Leavitt was an astronomer who opened the door to a dramatic enlargement in the size of the known universe. She found that a certain type of star, the Cepheid variable, pulses at a rate that's related to its brightness.

Dec 28, 2021 · On the evening of December 12, 1921, as 53-year old astronomer Henrietta Swan Leavitt succumbed to cancer, heavy rains fell from the skies over Cambridge, Massachusetts. After nearly 30 years at the Harvard College Observatory, Leavitt and her stars, hidden by rain clouds, parted ways.

Nov 12, 2016 · Henrietta Swan Leavitt was a Harvard "computer" — one of several women in the early 1900s who studied photographic plates for fundamental properties of stars. Leavitt is best known for...

American astronomer who established a standard by which to chart the magnitude of the stars and discovered the period-luminosity of Cepheid variable stars during her 26-year career.

Henrietta Swan Leavitt (July 4, 1868 - December 12, 1921) was an American astronomer who worked at the Harvard College Observatory from 1893 until her death in 1921 (Johnson, p.25).

Jul 5, 2018 · At Harvard College Observatory in the late 19th and early 20th century, Henrietta Swan Leavitt developed a powerful new tool for estimating the distances of stars and galaxies.

Jan 13, 2020 · Henrietta Swan Leavitt’s contribution to the field of astronomy is that she gave us the tools to map out the stars in the universe. She discovered the correlation between Period and Luminosity.

Feb 4, 2019 · Henrietta Swan Leavitt was one of many women “computers” who worked at Harvard University, cataloging stars around the turn of the last century. Women could be paid less than men, and were...