
Contents
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8.1 University of Missouri 8.1 University of Missouri
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8.2 Princeton and Henry Norris Russell 8.2 Princeton and Henry Norris Russell
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8.3 ‘Standard candles’ and the distances of the stars 8.3 ‘Standard candles’ and the distances of the stars
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8.4 First visit to Harvard 8.4 First visit to Harvard
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8.5 On to Mount Wilson 8.5 On to Mount Wilson
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8.6 The Cepheid and RR Lyrae standard candles 8.6 The Cepheid and RR Lyrae standard candles
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8.7 The distances of the globular clusters 8.7 The distances of the globular clusters
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8.8 The centre of the Milky Way 8.8 The centre of the Milky Way
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8.9 A near miss 8.9 A near miss
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8.10 The ‘Great Debate’ 8.10 The ‘Great Debate’
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8.11 Director of Harvard College Observatory 8.11 Director of Harvard College Observatory
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8.12 The Harvard Graduate School 8.12 The Harvard Graduate School
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8.13 ‘Shapley's Universe’ 8.13 ‘Shapley's Universe’
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8.14 Exploring the southern sky 8.14 Exploring the southern sky
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8.15 The distribution of galaxies in space 8.15 The distribution of galaxies in space
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8.16 Diversions from astronomy 8.16 Diversions from astronomy
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8.17 The Sculptor and Fornax dwarf galaxies 8.17 The Sculptor and Fornax dwarf galaxies
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8.18 The sociable Director 8.18 The sociable Director
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8.19 Other activities 8.19 Other activities
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8.20 International affairs 8.20 International affairs
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8.21 Losing the initiative 8.21 Losing the initiative
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8.22 Post-war social concerns 8.22 Post-war social concerns
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8.23 The ‘Communist in the State Department’ 8.23 The ‘Communist in the State Department’
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8.24 Retirement 8.24 Retirement
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References References
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8 HARLOW SHAPLEY: DEFINING OUR GALAXY
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Published:October 2008
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Abstract
This chapter begins by providing a brief description of Harlow Shapley's biography and early life. It then discusses Harlow's life as a student of the University of Missouri and Princeton. It narrates his study with Henry Norris Russell about the discovery of approximate mathematical methods for analysing the behaviour of binary stars. It tells of Shapley's efforts to make himself known in other places. It mentions Shapley's other important works such as his guess that RR Lyrae variables might also be standard candles, the distances of the globular clusters, the discovery of the centre of the Milky Way, and finding the Sculptor and Fornax dwarf galaxies. It also tells of the criticisms and oppositions that he encountered.
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