Leavitt: the period-brightness relation in Magellanic Cloud variables

What changed

Variable-star period became a usable indicator of relative luminosity in a common-distance population.

Scientific scope

Leavitt's analysis for the 1912 circular; not later absolute calibration, distance-scale use or cosmology.

Evidence

The linked sources identify this contribution and its scope. WRS has not independently reconstructed the scientific claims. The record concerns Leavitt’s analysis prepared for the 1912 Harvard circular; later calibration and distance-scale applications are separate.

Contributors

• Henrietta S. Leavitt · SCIENCE: Named source author of the scoped work; individual effort shares are not measured.

• Leavitt, Periods of 25 Variable Stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud (1912)

Provisional WRS assessment, edition 2026-10-16.1. Independent expert calibration is pending. This grade does not certify correctness or assign ownership.

Full scientific record · Browse contribution grades · Request a correction