What is our place in the cosmos? New answers to this old question emerged during the first decades of the twentieth century. Astrophysics and stellar astronomy grew in importance. Gustav Holmberg shows how this process changed Swedish astronomy and how international connections developed. One focus is on scientific practice. How did newly introduced technologies like photography and spectroscopy change the way astronomers pursued their science? What scientific ideals were connected with these instruments and technologies? What were the differences and similarities between the local scientific cultures in Swedish astronomy?