In the early 20th century, astronomers were captivated by the possibility of a ninth planet beyond Neptune, which was believed to exert gravitational influence on the orbits of known planets. Clyde Tombaugh, a young astronomer at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, took on the mission to find this elusive planet. Using a technique called 'comparative astrophotography', Tombaugh carefully compared multiple photographic plates taken of the night sky to spot any moving objects against the stationary stars. His labor-intensive efforts began in January 1930, reviewing photographs taken during an earlier survey. After several weeks of meticulous work, Tombaugh observed a faint object that had shifted position relative to the stars, confirming its movement and gravitational pull. This landmark discovery was officially announced on March 13, 1930, and the new planet was named Pluto, after the Roman god of the underworld, coincidentally reflecting the initials of Percival Lowell, the observatory’s founder and the initial proponent of the search for the ninth planet.