Preserving the Legacy of Women Astronomical "Computers"
Dec 10, 2026, 6:45 PM ET<a href="https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/women-astronomical-computers?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/women-astronomical-computers?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&promo=276223">smithsonianassociates.org…</a>
The Harvard Plate Stacks Astronomical Photographic Glass Plate Collection comprises over 500,000 glass plate negatives with astronomical annotations made by pioneering women who assisted the director of the Harvard Observatory in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These so-called astronomical computers made major discoveries and created vital reference catalogs. Thom Burns , curator of the collection, and advanced imaging pioneer Michael Toth discuss the collection's history and how they use advanced technical imaging to preserve the work of these women.