What Happened on February 18?

February 18 is when astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto — the icy world that spent 76 years as our ninth planet before becoming a dwarf planet!

• 1930 — Clyde Tombaugh discovers Pluto

  A 24-year-old farm-boy-turned-astronomer spotted a faint moving dot on photograph plates at Lowell Observatory — discovering Pluto, our solar system's most famous dwarf planet. Read the full story →

• 1930 — Elm Farm Ollie becomes the first cow milked mid-flight

  A contented Guernsey named Elm Farm Ollie flew over Missouri and made history — milked at altitude, with her fresh quarts parachuted down to amazed St. Louis crowds. Read the full story →

Famous birthdays

Alessandro Volta (1745–1827) · Toni Morrison (1931–2019) · John Travolta (1954) · Dr. Dre (1965)

Days & observances

Pluto Day · National Battery Day