Facebook Live and Book Giveaway Monday: 'The Glass Universe' by Dava Sobel

Annie Jump Cannon
Annie Jump Cannon examines a photographic plates of the night sky. She created the stellar classification system still used today. (Image credit: Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics )

Dava Sobel's new book, "The Glass Universe," delves into the history of groundbreaking astronomy research at the Harvard College Observatory and the women whose meticulous measurements and calculations made it happen. Tune in Monday (Jan. 23) on Facebook Live to ask questions and for a chance to win a copy.

"The Glass Universe" follows the women of the Harvard College Observatory and their groundbreaking measurements of the stars. (Image credit: Viking)

The story follows the Harvard College Observatory's pioneering work in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to determine the brightness and composition of individual stars, which was done with the help of a half-million glass plates that documented the night sky over the course of 100 years. Crucial to the work were several women "computers" and astronomers who calculated the stars' locations, brightness and spectra, tracking them through time to spot changes and classifying them in newly minted categories.

Sobel spoke with Space.com about her book in December, and now readers will have a chance to ask their own questions and learn more about the evolution of astronomy and the process of documenting this unique time in history. The first two to answer a trivia question will also get signed copies of "The Glass Universe." Sobel's previous books include "Longitude," "The Planets" and "Galileo's Daughter."

SPACE.COM BOOK GIVEAWAY: "The Glass Universe" by Dava Sobel

Official Rules

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to legal residents of 50 U.S & DC, 18 or older. Employees, agents, officers & directors of Purch Group, Inc. ("Sponsor"), its parent, subsidiaries, affiliates & advertising & promotion agencies (collectively with Facebook, Inc., "Released Parties") & members of their immediate family (spouse, parent, children, siblings & their respective spouses, regardless of where they reside) & persons living in the same household, whether or not related, are not eligible. Void where prohibited. Subject to all applicable federal, state & local laws. HOW TO ENTER: Beginning at 3:00 PM ET on January 23, 2017 ("Event"), visit the Space.com page on Facebook ("Event Page"), watch the live stream video interview of author, Dava Sobel and answer via a comment the question posed to the audience that is identified as the "Giveaway Question". If, for whatever reason, the Event is cancelled or postponed, this giveaway will not occur. Entries generated by script, macro or other automated means or by any means which subvert the entry process are void. Limit one (1) entry per person/Facebook ID. Multiple entries will be void. Entries become the sole property of Sponsor. Entry must not be offensive or inappropriate, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any entry and remove any comment that it determines, in its sole discretion, is not in compliance with these Official Rules or is otherwise not in keeping with Sponsor's image. WINNER DETERMINATION: The first two eligible individuals to comment with the correct answer to the question posed, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion, will be deemed potential winners. If, by the end of the Event, no eligible answers are provided, the prize will not be awarded. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received and timing of response. WINNER NOTIFICATION: Potential winners will be notified via a comment on their winning posts & they will have 24 hours from notification to respond to Sponsor. The failure to respond to such notification or a potential winner's noncompliance with these Official Rules may result in disqualification, & at Sponsor's sole discretion, prize may be awarded to an alternate winner. PRIZE: Autographed copy of "The Glass Universe". Approximate Retail Value: $30. Total Prize is awarded "as is" with no warranty or guarantee, either express or implied. Winner is responsible for all federal, state & local taxes. Winners may not substitute, assign or transfer prize, but Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to substitute prize (or portion thereof) with one of comparable or greater value. Prize cannot be redeemed for cash. All prize details are at Sponsor's sole discretion. GRANT OF RIGHTS: By submitting an entry, each entrant grants to Sponsor and its licensees, successors and assigns an irrevocable, perpetual, unlimited, royalty-free, fully paid-up license to reproduce, distribute, display, exhibit, exploit, perform, edit, create derivatives of, & otherwise use the entry & all elements of such entry, together with any other material, and the name, user name, city & state of residence, voice, image and/or likeness of entrant, in any & all media now known or hereafter devised, in any manner, in whole or in part, worldwide, without compensation or notification to, or permission from, entrant or any third party, for any purpose whatsoever, including without limitation, for purposes of advertising or trade. CONDITIONS: By participating, each entrant agrees: (a) to abide by these Official Rules & decisions of Sponsor & judges, which shall be final & binding in all respects relating to this giveaway; and (b) to release, discharge & hold harmless Released Parties from any & all injuries, liability, losses & damages of any kind to persons, including death, or property resulting, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from entrant's participation in the Giveaway or the acceptance or use of prize. Released Parties are not responsible for (i) lost, late, incomplete, damaged, inaccurate, stolen, delayed, misdirected, undelivered or garbled entries; or (ii) errors or difficulties of any kind, whether human, mechanical, electronic, computer, network, typographical, printing or otherwise, relating to or in connection with the giveaway, including, without limitation, errors or difficulties which may occur in connection with the administration of the giveaway, the processing of entries, the announcement of the prize or in any giveaway-related materials. Persons who tamper with or abuse any aspect of the giveaway or the Event Page, who act in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner or who are in violation of these Official Rules, as solely determined by Sponsor, will be disqualified & all associated entries will be void. Should any portion of the giveaway be, in Sponsor's sole opinion, compromised by virus, worms, bugs, non-authorized human intervention or other causes which, in the sole opinion of the Sponsor, corrupt or impair the administration, security, fairness or proper play, or submission of entries, Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to suspend, modify or terminate the giveaway & if terminated, at its discretion, select winner as deemed fair & appropriate by Sponsor. Information submitted in connection with this giveaway will be used in accordance with Sponsor's Privacy Policy, available at http://purch.com/privacy-policy/. WINNERS' NAMES: Winners' names will be posted on the Event Page following the end of the giveaway. SPONSOR: Purch Group, Inc., 150 Fifth Avenue, 9th Floor, New York, New York 10011. This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. 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Email Sarah Lewin at slewin@space.com or follow her @SarahExplains. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com

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Sarah Lewin
Associate Editor

Sarah Lewin started writing for Space.com in June of 2015 as a Staff Writer and became Associate Editor in 2019 . Her work has been featured by Scientific American, IEEE Spectrum, Quanta Magazine, Wired, The Scientist, Science Friday and WGBH's Inside NOVA. Sarah has an MA from NYU's Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program and an AB in mathematics from Brown University. When not writing, reading or thinking about space, Sarah enjoys musical theatre and mathematical papercraft. She is currently Assistant News Editor at Scientific American. You can follow her on Twitter @SarahExplains.