SPACE — On February 18, 1930, American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto. Before he discovered Pluto, another astronomer named Percival Lowell had spent more than a decade trying to find it.
Lowell theorized that there was a ninth planet orbiting the sun based on the wobbles seen in the orbits of Uranus and Neptune. But it wasn’t until Tombaugh began using new observation techniques that Pluto was finally seen for the first time.
The new technique involves something called flicker microscopy. Tombaugh used it to compare photographic plates and look for signs of moving objects.
That same year, Pluto was classified as a planet. However, the discovery of various other celestial bodies has made scientists doubt Pluto’s status. The debate among astronomers began 20 years ago.
Also read: Why is Pluto not a planet? Chronology and Fierce Debates of Astronomers
On August 24, 2006, researchers at the International Astronomical Union (IAU) voted to reclassify Pluto. They then changed Pluto’s status from a planet to a dwarf planet, a relegation that is seen as controversial to this day. Source: Space.com
2024-02-18 15:34:00
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