The Curious Life of Cecliia Payne

Cecilia Payne loved learning to see natures wonders, even things other people called impossible. While studying at Cambridge, she dreamed of becoming a great astronomer like the ones she read about in the library. But too many people thought women didnt belong among stars or atoms.

So, Cecilia packed her bags for Harvard, where she could surround herself with women who also loved astronomy and physics. These "Harvard Computers" shared their treasures with her--thousands of photographs of starlight. Cecilia found a way to read the patterns in these photos and started asking big questions. Could these photos show her what stars are made of? What if they showed Cecilia something all the great astronomers called impossible?

With stellar gouache and watercolor art and thrilling scientific details, this biography is a loving tribute to the joy of curiosity, the value of community, and the struggle to find confidence in your own voice. Extensive back matter helps readers learn through an authors note, timelines of Cecilias life and of discoveries that led to hers, a list of Cecilias honors and awards, and resources for further reading.