MIT Press Ltd Hardback English
Attention Is Discovery
The Life and Legacy of Astronomer Henrietta Leavitt
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A portrait of trailblazing astronomer Henrietta Leavitt and an illustrated exploration of the power of attention in scientific observation, artistic creation, and the making of meaning. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, has a diameter of about 100,000 light yearsa figure we can calculate because of the work of Henrietta Leavitt (18681921), who spent decades studying glass plate photographs of the night sky. Visual artist and researcher Anna Von Mertenss Attention Is Discovery is a fascinating portrait of this remarkable woman who laid the foundation for modern cosmology, as well as an exploration of the power of looking and its revelatory role at the center of scientific discovery. Ushering us into the scientific community of women who worked alongside Leavitt, now known as the Harvard Computers, Von Mertens describes the inventive methodologies Leavitt devised to negotiate the eras emerging photographic technology. Interspersed with Von Mertenss meticulously researched and lyrically written essays are collaborations with art historian Jennifer L. Roberts, cosmologist Wendy Freedman, astrophysicist João Alves, and novelist Rebecca Dinerstein Knight. Alongside Leavitts process, evident in her astronomical logbooks and ink notations on the glass plates, Von Mertens includes details of the hand-stitched quilts and graphite drawings she made in response to Leavitts legacy. Photographs made by Jennifer L. Roberts using a macro lens amplify the material richness of these artworks and archives. This interweaving of text and image engages and rewards the readers own close attention. Highlighting ways that subtle, repeated actions build meaningwhether skilled, technical observation, the crafting of an object, or the mundane tasks that construct our exquisite livesVon Mertenss pairing of close looking with close reading creates a layered portrait of Henrietta Leavitt that acknowledges the significance of her discovery and the richness of its inheritance.
A portrait of trailblazing astronomer Henrietta Leavitt and an illustrated exploration of the power of attention in scientific observation, artistic creation, and the making of meaning.
Our galaxy, the Milky Way, has a diameter of about 100,000 light yearsa figure we can calculate because of the work of Henrietta Leavitt (18681921), who spent decades studying glass plate photographs of the night sky. Visual artist and researcher Anna Von Mertenss Attention Is Discovery is a fascinating portrait of this remarkable woman who laid the foundation for modern cosmology, as well as an exploration of the power of looking and its revelatory role at the center of scientific discovery. Ushering us into the scientific community of women who worked alongside Leavitt, now known as the Harvard Computers, Von Mertens describes the inventive methodologies Leavitt devised to negotiate the eras emerging photographic technology.
Interspersed with Von Mertenss meticulously researched and lyrically written essays are collaborations with art historian Jennifer L. Roberts, cosmologist Wendy Freedman, astrophysicist João Alves, and novelist Rebecca Dinerstein Knight. Alongside Leavitts process, evident in her astronomical logbooks and ink notations on the glass plates, Von Mertens includes details of the hand-stitched quilts and graphite drawings she made in response to Leavitts legacy. Photographs made by Jennifer L. Roberts using a macro lens amplify the material richness of these artworks and archives. This interweaving of text and image engages and rewards the readers own close attention. Highlighting ways that subtle, repeated actions build meaningwhether skilled, technical observation, the crafting of an object, or the mundane tasks that construct our exquisite livesVon Mertenss pairing of close looking with close reading creates a layered portrait of Henrietta Leavitt that acknowledges the significance of her discovery and the richness of its inheritance.