![]() ![]() Gender is a subtle backstory that creates intrigue and admiration for those characters illuminated by Sobel. The Glass Universe is a book about science. She makes it clear that these accomplishments were not extraordinary simply because they were women in a time when gender rights were not a topic of conversation, but because their astronomical discoveries shaped the field that exists today. Sobel’s strategy to recount the history of these women highlights their scientific accomplishments. Through Sobel’s use of historical documents such as letters, financial documents and conference notes we receive what feels like an almost firsthand account, without interpretation or added commentary, of the beginning of women’s 19th century scientific discoveries. ![]() This new technology allows the hired women to better analyze the makeup of the stars, as well as find a new way to categorize them-a system that is still used today. He believes in women’s potential to discover and thrive in the field of science and makes the decision to hire women as calculators, aka “human computers.” Their partnership leads to the study of the stars through the new medium of photography. Anna reaches out to Edward Pickering, the director of the Harvard College Observatory and a surprising male character of this time period. Draper is a strong character, who takes into her own hands the task of finishing her late husband’s work. Henry Draper who helped found stellar photography. The book begins with Anna Palmer Draper, a recent widow of Dr. ![]()
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