Edwin Hubble, was an American astronomer who has had an enormous impact on science, often compared to Isaac Newton and Galileo. Hubble has helped change our thoughts and perception of the universe in two important ways. First, Hubble confirmed the existence of other galaxies other than the Milky Way, during a time when many people thought the Milky Way was the entire universe. Secondly, with the help of other astronomers, he confirmed that the universe was expanding at a constant rate by developing a mathematical concept to back up this statement, now known as Hubble"s Law.

             Born on November 20, 1889, in Marshfield, Mussouri, Edwin Powell Hubble was the third of seven children. Hubble spent his early childhood in Missouri with his father, John P. Hubble, and his mother, Virginia Lee James Hubble. In 1895, Edwin entered grade school.

             After grade school, Edwin went to Wheaton High School, where he excelled in both academics and sports. In 1906, Hubble graduated at the age of sixteen from Wheaton High School, two years earlier than most students. Because of his outstanding efforts at Wheaton High School, Edwin received an academic scholarship to the University of Chicago. Hubble studied mathematics, physics, chemistry, and astronomy at the University of Chicago. In 1910, Hubble graduated with a B.S. in mathematics and astronomy and was awarded the Rhodes Scholarship.

             After graduating from the University of Chicago, Edwin went to Queen"s College at the University of Oxford in England. There he studied the two-year course of jurisprudence, which he completed in 1912. Hubble returned to the United States in 1913 to begin practicing law in Louisville, Kentucky, where is family was living. In 1914, after becoming bored with law after only a year, Hubble returned to the University of Chicago to work towards his doctorate in astronomy.

             During the time period that Hubble attended the University of Chicago, it did not actually offer formal courses in astronomy.