The 'computer' who unlocked the Universe: celebrating pivotal women in astronomy

Green Templeton College Vice-Principal Dr Rebecca Surender will introduce this year’s Green Templeton College Astronomy For All Lecture, delivered by Associate Fellow Charles Barclay.

This illustrated talk will highlight the pivotal and unsung role played by women in astronomy and astrophysics.

It has been 100 years since the death of Henrietta Leavitt, the discoverer of the Period-Luminosity law for Cepheid variable stars, from which Edwin Hubble was able to measure the scale and expansion of the Universe. The talk will review the importance of Leavitt’s work and also single out three other women whose 20th Century contributions in their respective fields have been critical to the development of the whole subject.

The Astronomy For All Lecture series was started by Charles in 2006 as a way of strengthening and reinforcing the link between Green Templeton, home of the Radcliffe Observatory, and astronomy and the Oxford Astrophysics Department, in particular.

Charles is an Outreach Astronomer, Director of the Blackett Observatory at Marlborough College, and Academic Visitor in the Astrophysics sub-department at the University of Oxford.