The discovery of the dwarf planet Pluto is credited to the Lowell Observatory in America. The observatory was established in 1894. The famous American astronomer Percival Lowell established the observatory at Flagstaff, Arizona. The observatory is named after Lowell. It is located on Mount Mars in the United States. It has an elevation of 2,210 meters above sea level.
In 1930, astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto in this observatory. During the observation, he used a telescope with a diameter of 13 inches. The discovery of Pluto had a direct but indirect effect on the planet, Neptune. Neptune was discovered in 1848. Then, calculating the orbit of Neptune, the astronomer Lowell said that the planet would one day be seen in a certain place in the sky. The quest begins with all the powerful binoculars in the world. But the planet was not found. The new planet was finally found exactly where Lowell had said it would be. Sadly, Lowell is no longer alive. The planet was discovered in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh, a young astronomer at Lowell Observatory. The planet was named Pluto by adding the first letters P and L to his name in memory of Percival Lowell. Pluto was dropped from the list of planets in 2006. It is currently listed as a Dwarf Planet. Clyde Tombaugh started astronomy with his uncle's small telescope. Growing up, he made his binoculars. He wanted to study astronomy. But due to family difficulties, it was not possible. In the end, without seeing anyway, he started farming. As well as night sky observation continues. One day he saw the position of Mars and Jupiter and sent pictures to Lowell Observatory. Get an appointment at the observatory in recognition of your work. After receiving the appointment, he was overwhelmed with joy. At Lowell's direction, he took pictures of places in the sky where the planet was supposed to be. Pluto was finally caught on the camera plate.
In addition to Pluto, in 1914, astronomer Vesto Melvin Slifer, sitting in the observatory, photographed the spectral spectrum of spiral galaxies and determined the red motion. The ring of the planet Uranus was discovered in 1966. There are several reasons why Pluto was dropped as a planet. One of them, Pluto's orbit is irregular and has exceptions in size and volume. So astronomers have been skeptical of Pluto since its inception. Pluto is smaller than many satellites in the solar system. Many asteroids or asteroid-like objects have been found near Pluto since 1990. A special asteroid family called the Kuiper Belt has been named after these asteroids located just outside the solar system. So if Pluto is accepted as a planet, we may have to think of more than fifty planets soon. With this in mind, seven decades after the discovery of Pluto, it was dropped from the list of planets and placed on the list of dwarf planets.
In 2006, scientists announced that it would be known as Plutoids. This is the decision of the International Astronomical Union. However, it has been suggested that the almost spherical objects orbiting the Sun in elliptical orbits after Neptune as a distance from the Sun will henceforth be called plutoids.
Initially, Pluto was followed by Eris in the Plutoid family. Eris is the largest dwarf planet. These two dwarf planets have a lot in common in terms of features. It will also include Ceres, the largest asteroid in the middle of the solar system, as well as all other dwarf planets. Such as Pluto's largest satellites Charon, McMachy, etc.
When Pluto lost its planetary title in 2006, reporters wanted to know the feelings of the 93-year-old Pluto discoverer's wife. Then he sadly said, ‘I am now the wife of a dwarf planet discoverer.’ And to us, Pluto is just a memorable planet.
Author: Amateur astronomer, science writer, and organizer
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