Free Astronomy Magazine January-February 2020

4 HISTORY The history of astronomy is full of exciting episodes worthy of the imagination of the best novelists. The events that led to the discov- ery of Pluto are such an example. A young farmer from Kansas builds a telescope with pieces of agricultural machinery and begins to observe the sky. An astronomer realizes his potential and invites him to work in an Arizona observatory. Only a year later, the young amateur astronomer discovers the ninth planet of the Solar System. The background of the discovery of Pluto by Michele Ferrara revised by Damian G. Allis NASA Solar System Ambassador JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020