Is Pluto a planet or not? Who cares! Our love for the King of the Kuiper Belt is stronger than ever 95 years later

Clyde Tombaugh's journey to planetary discovery is one of the most remarkable in the history of astronomy.

Tombaugh was a self-taught astronomer who sketched astronomical observations in Kansas 's dark-sky country.

He was hired by Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff , Arizona , in 1929 .

He found Pluto in February 1930 , a tiny speckry against the background where Lowell predicted it would be.

In 2006 , Pluto's planetary status was re-evaluated by the International Astronomical Union , leading to its reclassification as a "dwarf planet" The decision sparked widespread debate, both among the public and among many astronomers.

The IAU faced criticism from the public for redefining a "planet" in such a way that seemed almost tailored to exclude Pluto.

NASA 's New Horizons probe gave us our first detailed look at Pluto up close in 2015 .

The mission confirmed that Pluto is far from a lifeless rock — it has a dynamic surface, an atmosphere, and potential geological activity.

The Lowell Observatory hosts the I Heart Pluto Festival to celebrate the discovery and significance of Pluto .