Ellen Dorrit Hoffleit Biography

Astromer who compiled "The Bright Star Catalogue," which described the position of the stars as well as their color, brightness, and motion. She was an observor of the approximately 11,700 stars visible without a telescope. Hoffleit was especially interested in the variable stars whose brightness changes over time, and allow scientists to measure distances between galaxies. She became the director of the Maria Mitchell Observatory at Nantucket, Mass., in 1957 where she mentored women pursuing careers in astronomy. In 1987, the International Astronomical Union named an asteroid after her.