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American astronomer Harlow Shapley was known for his accomplishments in astronomy, education, and humanitarian causes. Shapley, whose obituary in the New York Times described him as the "dean of American astronomers," was chiefly known for discovering that the Milky Way galaxywas much larger than originally thought and that Earth's solar system was not in fact at the center of the galaxy. For this achievement, he was compared to Nicolaus Copernicus, the Polish astronomer who in 1514 proposed that the earth was not the center of the solar system. As an educator, Shapley helped make the Harvard Observatory the leading center for astronomy in the United States during his time. Finally, through his humanitarian efforts, Shapley helped save Jewish scientists from Nazi Germany; he also founded and supported international causes and organizations such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Shapley was born on November 2, 1885, along with his twin brother, Horace, in Nashville, Missouri.
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