1908 Harvard Observatory survey

The 1908 Harvard Observatory survey was an ambitious project aimed at mapping the stars of the southern hemisphere. Led by astronomer Edward Pickering, the survey involved taking numerous photographic plates of the night sky to capture and catalog celestial objects. This effort significantly expanded our understanding of stars and their distribution, laying the groundwork for modern astrophysics. The project was notable for its use of women astronomers, who played crucial roles in analyzing and classifying the photographs, promoting gender equality in the field of science at a time when such opportunities were rare.