Percival Lowell (Lowell Percival)

(1855-1916)
Born March 13, 1855 in Boston (pc. Mass.). In 1876 he graduated from Harvard University. He was engaged in business in 1883-1893 lived in Japan. In 1894, he actively engaged in astronomy, which was interested in youth. In 1893-1894 founded in Flagstaff (pc. Arizona) observatory, designed specifically for the study of planets. Most intensively studied Lovell observations of Mars. During the great opposition of Mars in 1894 and other confrontations conducted a visual observation of the planet. He came to the conclusion about the existence of intelligent life on Mars. He insisted that observed on Mars in the telescope mysterious straight lines - 'channels' - are strips of vegetation along the artificial waterways. His presentation outlined in the book Mars as a refuge of life (Mars as the Abode of Life, 1908). In 1915, analyzing the motion of the perturbations of Uranus, and calculated (irrespective W. Pickering), the nine planets orbiting beyond Neptune. Gave its systematic search. In 1930, this planet was discovered C. Tombaugh at Lowell Observatory and named Pluto. Lowell died in Flagstaff November 12, 1916.