Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto on February 18, 1930, as a farm boy astronomer who identified the distant icy body through telescopic observation. Though once classified as the ninth planet, Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006, yet remains a landmark achievement in astronomical discovery.
·Tombaugh's discovery of Pluto occurred on this date in 1930, making it a major milestone in planetary science
·Pluto requires 248 Earth years to complete one orbit around the Sun and won't finish its first lap since discovery until 2178
·Pluto was reclassified from a full planet to a dwarf planet in 2006 due to updated astronomical criteria
·Tombaugh rose from farm boy origins to become a renowned astronomer through his observational work
drawn from Encyclopedia Britannica, Nautilus | Science, Astronomy.com, Space · updated 16d ago