Bright Galaxies Dark Matters

In 1965, Vera Rubin was the first woman permitted to observe at Palomar Observatory. Subsequently, her observations of stellar motions within galaxies led her to propose the existence of "dark matter", the composition of which is now one of the outstanding problems in modern astronomy. Rubin also pioneered the study of large-scale galactic motions. This book collects the best of Rubin's writings, including her pioneering work on stellar motions, insightful portraits of her colleagues, and revealing thoughts on the tools of her trade, from star charts to the Hubble telescope to some of the observatories at which she has worked. The concluding section, "The Astronomical Life", finds Dr. Rubin writing candidly about the demands and rewards of her chosen career.