Percival Lowell

About

Distinguished astronomer who studied the canals of Mars and published three books - Mars, Mars and Its Canals, and Mars As the Abode of Life - about his discoveries. He was also a key figure in the discovery of Pluto.

Before Fame

He was a diplomat, serving as special counselor for a Korean diplomatic mission.

Trivia

The naming of Pluto was influenced by his initials and he founded the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Family Life

He had a brother named Lawrence and a sister named Amy.

Associated With

He has been described by other planetary scientists as "the most influential popularizer of planetary science in America before Carl Sagan."