Percival Lowell

Percival Lowell was born on March 13, 1855, in Boston, Massachusetts, to Augustus Lowell and Katherine Bigelow Lowell. He came from a prominent family with a strong intellectual and political background. His siblings included Amy Lowell, the poet, and A. Lawrence Lowell, who later became president of Harvard University. After graduating from Harvard in 1876, Lowell spent several years traveling in the Far East, where he developed a keen interest in Japanese culture, eventually writing books...See more

Percival Lowell was born on March 13, 1855, in Boston, Massachusetts, to Augustus Lowell and Katherine Bigelow Lowell. He came from a prominent family with a strong intellectual and political background. His siblings included Amy Lowell, the poet, and A. Lawrence Lowell, who later became president of Harvard University. After graduating from Harvard in 1876, Lowell spent several years traveling in the Far East, where he developed a keen interest in Japanese culture, eventually writing books such as Noto: An Unexplored Corner of Japan. Though initially involved in business and diplomacy, he later shifted to scientific pursuits and became widely known for his work in astronomy. In the 1890s, he founded the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, where he championed the controversial theory of canals on Mars, proposing they were evidence of intelligent life. He also initiated the search for a ninth planet, which would ultimately lead to the discovery of Pluto after his death. His speculative ideas sparked both popular interest and scientific debate. Lowell s contributions helped lay the groundwork for planetary science in the United States. He died on November 12, 1916, in Flagstaff, leaving behind a legacy that bridged literature, travel, and astronomical inquiry. See less