The Sky Is for Everyone is an internationally diverse collection of autobiographical essays by women who broke down barriers and changed the face of modern astronomy. Virginia Trimble and David Weintraub vividly describe how, before 1900, a woman who wanted to study the stars had to have a father, brother, or husband to provide entry, and how the considerable intellectual skills of women astronomers were still not enough to enable them to pry open doors of opportunity for much of the twentieth century. After decades of difficult struggles, women are closer to equality in astronomy than ever before. Trimble and Weintraub bring together the stories of the tough and determined women who flung the doors wide open. Taking readers from 1960 to today, this triumphant anthology serves as an inspiration to current and future generations of women scientists while giving voice to the history of a transformative era in astronomy.
Listen to Chapter 1.
About the Editors
Virginia Trimble is professor of physics and astronomy at the University of California, Irvine. An award-winning astronomer, she earned her PhD at Caltech in 1968, when some leading universities did not admit women. David A. Weintraub is professor of astronomy, history, and the communication of science and technology at Vanderbilt University. His books include Life on Mars: What to Know Before We Go (Princeton).