Out of the Darkness - the search for Pluto.

[MikeMS]

All.

I have just read the book by Clyde Tombaugh and Patrick Moore on the discovery of Pluto. My copy is a battered ex library edition and I have to say it is an excellent read. If you consider the plates created to search for Pluto to blink compare were all done by manual guiding it is just the sheer scale of the project to locate the planet that is truely an inspiration.

If you can find a copy, I recommend you get it and have a read.

http://www.amazon.com/Out-Darkness-The-Planet-Pluto/dp/0451619978

I have now read the books on George Alcock, Will Hay and Leslie Peltier. It may be a bit of a rosy eyed view, but I do enjoy reading about astronomy in the early 20th Century.

Regards,

Mike MS.

[tomhow]

If you fancy dipping back a bit further there are some great books about the 17th/18th centuries when it really was even tougher.

I can strongly recommend Colin Ronan's Edmond Halley bio (if you can find it) & Inwood's bio of Hooke: "The man who knew too much" - bit of a doorstep denter but will worth the effort.

[lw80]

Great book! ive read it also and would recommend to anyone thats interested how pluto became known.