Pluto was discovered by astronomer Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory at Flagstaff, AZ, on February 18, 1930. It was considered the 9th planet of the solar system until August 24, 2006, when astronomers reclassified it as a dwarf planet.

Summer is almost here and with warmer and warmer nights it’s the perfect time to go stargazing! Come into the Children’s room to check out our display of stargazing books including field guides and more:

Constellations

Glow-in-the-dark constellations: a field guide for young stargazers by C.E. Thompson; illustrated by Randy Chewning

All the stars in the sky: Native stories from the heavens by C.J. Taylor

Once upon a time, long ago, way back in February of 1930, the Pluto formerly known as a planet was first sighted by astronomer Clyde Tombaugh.  It was the smallest planet out in the far reaches of our solar system, but it was recently reclassified as a dwarf planet. 

Find books about Pluto in our library catalog, or search for Pluto in one of the databases available on our Kids’ Homework Help page.

Not scared enough by global recession, terrorism, peanut butter, or nuclear war? Death from the Skies by Philip Plait will give you many new reasons to fear, every time you look up.

Plait covers topics such as asteroid impacts, solar flares, nearby supernovae, gamma ray bursts, black holes, and aliens. He concludes with inevitable scenarios; how the Sun will die, and the cold quiet that will end the Universe.