Henrietta Leavitt's work in the early 20th century led to a transformative revolution in the way that mankind understands the universe. Without her results, we would not have known that galaxies exist beyond the Milky Way! She deserves a place in history books alongside Ptolemy, Copernicus, Kepler, and Galileo. 

In this Lunch & Learn talk, Department of Physics Professor McSwain will highlight Leavitt's discoveries and discuss the broader context of past revolutions in astronomy. Attendees will also have the chance to explore Lehigh's rare collection of historical manuscripts that represent the evolution of thought in modern astronomy.

This talk is presented in conjunction with the Department of Theatre’s production of Silent Sky, a play by Lauren Gunderson that explores the discoveries of Henrietta Leavitt and the contributions of the women at the Harvard Observatory. Daniel Brody ‘22, director.