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Percival Lowell

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Astronomer

The Resume

    (March 13, 1855-November 12, 1916)
    Born in Boston, Massachusetts
    Brother of poet Amy Lowell
    Founded the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona (1894)
    Popularized the idea of Martian canals in the books 'Mars' (1895), 'Mars and Its Canals' (1906) and 'Mars As the Abode of Life' (1908)
    Proposed the existence of a 'Planet X' beyond Neptune
    Fourteen years after his death, astronomers at the Lowell Observatory discovered Pluto

Why he might be annoying:

    The canals of Mars do not exist.
    Although he was credited with predicting Pluto's existence, Pluto did not match the properties he had predicted for Planet X.
    A friend said that his failure to find Planet X 'virtually killed him.'
    Ironically, the year before his death, his observatory captured two faint images of Pluto without recognizing their significance.
    His widow challenged his will leaving his fortune to the Lowell Observatory, producing a decade-long legal battle.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was the first astronomer to locate an observatory at a remote, elevated location for optimal viewing conditions.
    His musings about the Martian canals inspired a lot of science fiction writers.
    Pluto got its name partly because its first two letters were Lowell's initials.
    The Lowell Observatory was named a National Historic Landmark (1965) and hosts 70,000 visitors a year.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 12 Votes: 41.67% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 5 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 5 Votes: 20.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 9 Votes: 44.44% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 15 Votes: 46.67% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 11 Votes: 27.27% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 19 Votes: 21.05% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 29 Votes: 24.14% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 81 Votes: 38.27% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 3 Votes: 0% Annoying