The Pluto Files by Nova, with Niel deGrasse Tyson
Today in 1930, Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto! Although the discovery wasn’t announced by the Lowell observatory until early March. Recently that rebellious little ball of ice may have been kicked out of the planet club, but its discovery by the amateur assistant Tombaugh still remains a potent symbol for the value of amateur astronomy.
Back in December, PBS ran a great NOVA on both Tombaugh and the controversy. The video of the full show can be found for free on their site. If you missed it, today would be a great day to catch the humorous and informative show. Besides, it’s hosted by GeekDad’s favorite astronomer Neil deGrasse Tyson. Tyson is scheduled to host an update of Carl Sagan’s famous Cosmos television series. We are looking forward to it!
