Clyde Tombaugh: Discoverer of Planet Pluto

by David H. Levy

211 pages - biography - evaluation

Genres: Space

232 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

David Levy is a prominent astronomer and author, most famous for his co-discovery in 1993 of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, which collided with the planet Jupiter in 1994.

Levy was born in Canada, but now lives in Arizona. He has been involved with astronomy, as an observer, promoter, and author, for his entire adult life. Levy has discovered twenty two comets, given innumerable lectures, television appearances, and published articles in the major science and astronomy magazines.

He gained a Phd in English literature in 2010. There is an asteroid named in his honour, Levy 3673. He is married to Wendee Levy.

Reviews

[Neil H · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clear insight into the professional life of Clyde Tombaugh. Author provides a remarkable account showing the tenacity, pragmatic, sensitive and responsible individual which is Clyde. Qualities which can be common in all of us. I was expecting lots of starry eyed wonder upon reading on the discovery of Pluto but it was much more then that. It was a biography of a man whose resilience and intellect paid off in the most remarkable ways especially after his discovery of Pluto planet.

[Kristine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is very light on biographical context and very heavy on details of telescope-building and astronomical imagery techniques from the early 20th century.