Discoverer’s Ashes go to Pluto in New Horizons

Not many people may remember that Clyde W Tombaugh, discoverer of Pluto and the solar system’s third zone died in the year 1997 at the age of 90. New Horizons is the space shuttle that NASA launched nine years ago to study the planet Pluto. It also carries on board the ashes of Clyde Tombaugh in accordance with the final request of the man.

While it may be considered unusual for the space craft to be working as a funeral director, the people at NASA have placed his remains to the inside of the upper deck with the inscription “interned herein are the remains of American Clyde W Tombaugh, discoverer of Pluto and the solar system’s third zone”.

Tombaugh worked at the Percival Lowell observatory in Arizona. He was tasked with finding the then nicknamed “Planet X” which was eventually called Pluto way back in 1930. He would scout the night skies from the observatory recording the skies and all the objects in them hoping to find confirmation of the new planet.

The presence of the planet was confirmed by him in the movement visible in two photographs taken in January 1930. Little wonder then that the latest scientific study of the planet is also acting like a personal tribute to him.