Harlow Shapley

"The stars shine not to illuminate our lives but to illuminate the cosmos; we benefit by accident."

"In the vast darkness of space, our small light of understanding becomes precious."

"The universe is a teacher that rewards only those humble enough to be students."

"Science is the art of asking nature questions and respecting honest answers."

"To understand the cosmos requires forgetting what we think we know about ourselves."

"The infinite teaches the finite the virtue of intellectual modesty."

"Great discoveries come to those who observe without the burden of certainty."

"In studying the universe, we study the only reality that is truly indisputable."

"The night sky is a text written in light; it requires both eyes and heart to read."

"To be a scientist is to be forever changed by contact with the vastness of nature."

"The cosmos does not adapt to our theories; we must adapt to its facts."

"In the darkness between stars lies the light of human understanding waiting to be kindled."

"The universe is the greatest teacher of humility that exists."

"To observe nature with an open mind is the highest form of human intelligence."

"The stars remind us that our theories are temporary; their light is eternal."

"Science succeeds not through arrogance about answers but through humility about questions."