Clyde Tombaugh: Astronomer and Discoverer of Pluto
Early Life:
Clyde William Tombaugh was born on February 4, 1906, on a farm near Streator, Illinois, USA. His family faced economic challenges during his childhood, and Tombaugh showed an early interest in astronomy, building his own telescopes and grinding lenses.
Self-Taught Astronomer:
Despite having no formal education in astronomy, Tombaugh’s fascination with the night sky led him to learn and practice observational astronomy on his own. He was especially intrigued by Mars, and he meticulously drew detailed sketches of the Martian surface.
Discovery of Pluto:
In 1928, Tombaugh, then 22 years old, sent his sketches of Mars to the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, hoping for feedback. Instead, he caught the attention of the observatory’s director, Vesto Melvin Slipher, who offered him a job as a junior astronomer.
Tombaugh’s assignment was to systematically photograph sections of the night sky and compare images taken days apart to identify any celestial objects that moved. On February 18, 1930, he discovered a faint, moving object in the constellation Gemini. This discovery, confirmed as a new planet, was announced on March 13, 1930, and named Pluto.
Education and Professional Career:
After the discovery of Pluto, Tombaugh continued his education. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in astronomy from the University of Kansas in 1936 and later earned a Master’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Tombaugh returned to the Lowell Observatory in 1935, where he made further contributions to planetary astronomy. During World War II, he worked on optical tracking devices for guided missiles.
Later Career and Legacy:
In the 1950s, Tombaugh taught astronomy at Arizona State University. He also contributed to the search for near-Earth objects that could pose a threat to Earth.
Clyde Tombaugh became a respected figure in the field of astronomy, known for his observational skills and his significant role in the discovery of Pluto. He authored several books, including “Out of the Darkness: The Planet Pluto” (1980).
Personal Life:
Tombaugh married Patricia Edson in 1934, and they had two children. He passed away on January 17, 1997, at the age of 90, in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Honors and Recognition:
Clyde Tombaugh received various honors for his contributions to astronomy. In 1992, some of his ashes were placed aboard the spacecraft New Horizons, which was launched to study Pluto and the Kuiper Belt. This posthumous journey symbolically connected Tombaugh to the object he discovered.
Despite controversies surrounding Pluto’s reclassification as a dwarf planet in 2006, Tombaugh’s legacy endures, and his discovery remains a crucial part of the history of planetary science.
