Henrietta Leavitt was fascinated by the stars as a child and studied them when she went to college. She got a job at an observatory, but, as a woman, was rarely allowed to use the telescope. She worked in a room with other women recording, measuring, and calculating the results of what the men had observed. She was not expected to think. But she did. Henrietta began recording patterns she noticed in the blinking of stars, and eventually realized what they meant: She'd figured out the way to determine the true brightness of a star, which was essential to measuring its distance from earth. "Yes, I am an astronomer!" An artful picture book account of this late-nineteenth-century pioneer captures a sense of wonder and also Henrietta's curiosity and intelligence. End matter provides more information about Henrietta and her discovery, as well as source information. (Ages 5-8)

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.