Philosophy
Milton L. Humason
August 19th, 1891 to June 18th, 1972
According to Wikipedia...
Due to merest chance, Humason missed discovering Pluto. Eleven years before Clyde Tombaugh, Humason took a set of four photographs in which the image of Pluto appeared.* There is persistent speculation that he missed discovering the planet because it fell on a defect in the photographic plate. This is unlikely given that it appeared in four separate photographs over three different nights.
*Nicholson, Seth B.; Mayall, Nicholas U. (January 1931). "Positions, Orbit, and Mass of Pluto". Astrophysical Journal 73.
Now, Humason was a very interesting person who had no formal education--not even a high school diploma let alone a Ph.D. but yet he worked through the ranks from a floor sweeper to a meticulous Mt. Wilson staff member appointed by George Ellery Hale.
And, it has even been mentioned that "The myth that the expansion of the Universe was discovered by Hubble was first propagated by Humason (1931). The true nature of this discovery turns out to have been both more complex and more interesting."
Read...
"DISCOVERY OF THE EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE" by Sidney van den Bergh
- Pluto's Birthday
Yesterday was the anniversary of the discovery of Pluto. "The 80th Anniversary of an Underdog Named Pluto" by Megan Brescini February 18th, 2010 OC Weekly On February 18, 1930, exactly 80 years ago, a 23-year-old man named Clyde William Tombaugh discovered...
- Pluto Dvd Winner
Thank you to everyone who entered our Naming Pluto competition. The correct answer was Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto in 1930. Congratulations to Mr Gerard Carr of Hampshire, UK, who wins a copy of the Naming Pluto DVD and film poster. "Naming Pluto"...
- Prairie State Government Declares Pluto A Planet
This will make some people happy. "Illinois restores Pluto's planetary status" 13 March is Pluto Day, senate declares by Lester Haines March 6th, 2009 The Register The State of Illinois has decided it's unhappy with Pluto's 2006 expulsion...
- "pluto A Planet" Poll
Should Pluto be considered a planet? Yes....9 [90%] No....1 [10%] Just a guess, but I would bet that those voted "Yes" are lay persons and not bona fide astronomers. Such controversy. Simply put...if the astronomers wish to redefine the characteristics...
- Tyson, Weintraub, Tombaugh & Pluto
Clyde Tombaugh Alan Boyle, MSNBC's science reporter, discusses Neil deGrasse Tyson's book The Pluto Files and David Weintraub's book Is Pluto a Planet? There is also an interview with Clyde Tombaugh [including video clips]. MSNBC Tyson's...
Philosophy
Move over Clyde Tombaugh...Milton L. Humason had first crack at Pluto
Milton L. Humason August 19th, 1891 to June 18th, 1972
According to Wikipedia...
Due to merest chance, Humason missed discovering Pluto. Eleven years before Clyde Tombaugh, Humason took a set of four photographs in which the image of Pluto appeared.* There is persistent speculation that he missed discovering the planet because it fell on a defect in the photographic plate. This is unlikely given that it appeared in four separate photographs over three different nights.
*Nicholson, Seth B.; Mayall, Nicholas U. (January 1931). "Positions, Orbit, and Mass of Pluto". Astrophysical Journal 73.
Now, Humason was a very interesting person who had no formal education--not even a high school diploma let alone a Ph.D. but yet he worked through the ranks from a floor sweeper to a meticulous Mt. Wilson staff member appointed by George Ellery Hale.
And, it has even been mentioned that "The myth that the expansion of the Universe was discovered by Hubble was first propagated by Humason (1931). The true nature of this discovery turns out to have been both more complex and more interesting."
Read...
"DISCOVERY OF THE EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE" by Sidney van den Bergh
- Pluto's Birthday
Yesterday was the anniversary of the discovery of Pluto. "The 80th Anniversary of an Underdog Named Pluto" by Megan Brescini February 18th, 2010 OC Weekly On February 18, 1930, exactly 80 years ago, a 23-year-old man named Clyde William Tombaugh discovered...
- Pluto Dvd Winner
Thank you to everyone who entered our Naming Pluto competition. The correct answer was Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto in 1930. Congratulations to Mr Gerard Carr of Hampshire, UK, who wins a copy of the Naming Pluto DVD and film poster. "Naming Pluto"...
- Prairie State Government Declares Pluto A Planet
This will make some people happy. "Illinois restores Pluto's planetary status" 13 March is Pluto Day, senate declares by Lester Haines March 6th, 2009 The Register The State of Illinois has decided it's unhappy with Pluto's 2006 expulsion...
- "pluto A Planet" Poll
Should Pluto be considered a planet? Yes....9 [90%] No....1 [10%] Just a guess, but I would bet that those voted "Yes" are lay persons and not bona fide astronomers. Such controversy. Simply put...if the astronomers wish to redefine the characteristics...
- Tyson, Weintraub, Tombaugh & Pluto
Clyde Tombaugh Alan Boyle, MSNBC's science reporter, discusses Neil deGrasse Tyson's book The Pluto Files and David Weintraub's book Is Pluto a Planet? There is also an interview with Clyde Tombaugh [including video clips]. MSNBC Tyson's...