On Feb. 27 and March 1 at 7 p.m., the Aliso Niguel High School Theater Company brought the play “Silent Sky” to stage with their performances. The play “Silent Sky” was originally written by Lauren Guderson and officially published in 2015. Directed by Gabby Tamarz (11), the production focused on the life and scientific contributions of Henrietta Leavitt, an early 20th century astronomer who brought significant contributions through her work to the field of astrophysics.
Claire Fincher (11) played the lead role as Henrietta Leavitt, a determined young woman who works as a starplate computer at the Harvard Observatory. Ariel Christentensen (12) played Margaret Levitt, Henrietta’s sister and a talented musician who embodies the traditional role of women during the time and is a stay at home. Ashley Atkinson (12) played Annie Jump Cannon who helped come up with the stellar classification often remembered by the mnemonic device, “Oh! Be A Fine Girl — Kiss Me!” (OBAFGKM), to help organize stars according to their characteristics.
Joise Cook (12) played Williamina Fleming, the first curator of the Astronomical Photographic Glass Plate Collection and a Scottish astronomer. Ace Etienne (12) portrayed Peter Shaw, Henrietta’s love interest who works under Edward Pickering.
Fincher says, “My favorite scene from the show is the last scene in Act 1, when Henrietta finally makes the discovery that “the brightest stars take the longest to blink.” That scene is filled with so much intensity and enthusiasm and I really love the way that it incorporates everyone in the cast coming around Henrietta to support her discovery. My favorite moment in the show is when Henrietta “shifts” at the end of the show and the whole cast is gathering around her and relishing in the monumental achievements in our history.”
The impact of the other female astronomers who worked alongside Leavitt at the Harvard Observatory such as Annie Jump Cannon helped play a crucial role in creating the system still used today. Meanwhile, Williamina Fleming helped contribute to the discovery of white dwarf and variable stars. Their stories alongside Levitts helped illustrate the struggles and impactful discoveries made by women in science.
The play followed Henrietta’s journey from her start at the Harvard Observatory where women were restricted from using telescopes. Henrietta’s ambitions were limited by gender barriers; however, she became an important astronomer whose discoveries shaped modern cosmology. Leavitt’s meticulous study of Cepheid variable stars led to the discovery of the period-luminosity relation, which establishes a connection between pulsating variable stars’ luminosity and their pulsation period.
This breakthrough helped allow for astronomers to measure distance in space and provide the foundation for Edwin Hubble’s discovery that the universe is expanding. Despite her contributions, Leavitt received little recognition during her lifetime.
Tamraz says, “I have two favorite moments of the show. First, I really loved the opening scene when the “stars” light up for the first time; it got a really good reaction from the audience and I think it looked beautiful. I also love the last scene when every character has a spotlight on them because it is such an impactful ending and it had the effect I was hoping for and I hope that the audience felt inspired and curious to know more.”
“Silent Sky” acts as a story of empowerment and perseverance especially for women in science. The director crafted the play to ensure the production remained honest and truthful to the history.
