Phoebe Waterman Haas (September 20, 1882[1] – 1967) was one of the earliest American women to be awarded a doctorate in astronomy (1913).

While her formal professional career ended upon her marriage, she contributed as a citizen scientist, volunteering for the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO).

The Phoebe Waterman Haas Public Observatory was supported by donations from her family and is named in her honor.

[2] Phoebe Waterman moved from North Dakota to New York to study at Vassar College, a university for women, where she received an AB degree in 1904.

[2] At the time, the accepted way for a woman to be professionally involved in the field of astronomy was to be a "computer", performing data analysis and making calculations.

As a computer at Mount Wilson Observatory from 1909 to 1911, Phoebe worked with leading astronomers such as George Ellery Hale, Walter S. Adams, Jacobus Kapteyn, and Harold D.

She was accepted and was able to make observations at Lick Observatory in San José, using the Brashear spectrograph on the 36-inch refractor for her research.

For the next eleven years, Haas provided vital support by calculating the five- or ten-day means for southern variable stars.

The Phoebe Waterman Haas Award is given to a woman, nominated by her peers, who demonstrates outstanding leadership and serves as role model inside and outside the company.