Evelyn Leland

Leland has been involved in a lot of data collection and analysis, but she never produced an astrophysical theory. He believed that theories not supported by data were worthless, and that observers with their own theories were more likely to be biased, leading to inaccurate data. Perseverance and keen insight were required of women, not originality or scientific thinking. (However, Williamina P. Fleming states in her diary that the actual working hours were from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.) The starting wage for female computers was 25 cents an hour. Leland made $546 a year, compared to an average male salary of about $800 at the time. This salary differential was not due to her ability, but because of the gender difference. In an 1898 report, Pickering said that Harvard Computers could do work on a par with better paid male astronomers. He states that their salary differential allows him to hire three to four times as many women. == Achievements ==

The observatory's research on stellar spectra required meticulous analysis of numerous fragile glass plates on which light from distant bodies had been captured at the Arequipa Station in Peru, and then shipped to Harvard's campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. With other human "computers," Leland measured and calculated the brightness of the stellar spectra extensively, and discovered new variable stars as well as other "objects with peculiar spectra." To find out the magnitude of every star in the sky, Pickering asked Leland and Cannon to learn how Leavitt discovered variable stars. They are characterized by a variable period of several hours, and are a new type of variable star, different from the Type I Cepheids discovered by Henrietta Swan Leavitt in the same period. each contained in a paper envelope. About 20% of these are themed on stellar variability, proper motion, galactic dynamics, cosmology, meteors, and comets. Along with information about the plate itself, such as the date, unique identification number, telescope used, and sky area, the jacket often bears the signature of the person who used it. One of these, plate MC6474, which was worked on until the end of 1917, has a "L" signature on the jacket. It can be speculated that this is Leland's signature. Using these materials, the names of 216 female astronomers active between 1875 and 1975 were discovered from approximately 400,000 jackets. == Photo gallery ==

Source: • Large Magellanic Cloud, 1921 • Long Exposure H.S. Regions and Series, 1918/1919 • M Determinations - North Pole Plates, 1918/1919 • M Determinations - North Pole Plates, 1919 • M Determinations - North Pole Plates, 1919/1920 • M Determinations - North Pole Plates, 1919/1920 • M Determinations - North Pole Plates, 1920 • MC and A Plates, 1921 • MC Plates, 1921/1922 • Measure of Eros (South Pole), 1899/1902 • Measures, new satellite (Phoebe) of Saturn, Nova Sgr, 1899/1906 • Measures of Eros, 1902/1904 • Measures of M3, etc., 1902/1903 • Measures of Variables in M15, 1917 • Measures of Variables in M15, 1916/1917 • Measures of Variables in M15, 1917/1918 • Measures of Variables in M15, 1917/1918 • MF Series, 1920 • MF Series, 1920/1921 • Miscellaneous Observations - Variables, 1893/1896 • Miscellaneous Observations - Variables M5, 1896 • Miscellaneous Observations - Variables M5, 1896 • Miscellaneous Observations - Variables M5, 1896/1897 • Miscellaneous Observations - Variables M5, 1897/1898 • Miscellaneous Observations - Variables W Cen., 1897/1898 • New Satellite of Saturn and North Polar Sequence, 1904/1911 • Observing Book, 1918 • Observing Book, 1918 • Observing Book - M5, 1913 • Scale measures, 1907/1910 • Scale measures, 1911/1912 • Scale measures, 1910/1912 • Scale measures, 1910/1911 • Scale measures, 1912 • Scale measures, 1913/1914 • Search for variables; measures, 1902/1903 • Search for variables; measures, 1903/1904 • Search for variables; measures, 1904/1907 • Search for variables; measures, 1907/1909 • Search for variables; measures, 1904/1910 • Series Reductions, 1913 • Series Reductions, 1913 • Series Reductions, 1913/1914 • Series Reductions, 1913/1914 • Series Reductions, 1913/1915 • Series Reductions, 1915/1917 • Series Reductions, 1915/1917 • Series Reductions, 1915/1917 • Series Reductions, 1914/1915 • Series Reductions, 1914/1915 • Series Reductions and M5 variables, 1914/1915 == References ==