The comet and minor planet program at Lowell Observatory

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Abstract
The Lowell Observatory has traditionally been involved with the planets, at its inception in 1894 with the bright planet Mars and culminating in 1930 with the discovery of a 15th. magnitude one, Pluto. In the interim and following, many thousands of minor planets and comets have been observed from five separate series of sky surveys and special observing programs.The first program in search of a trans-Neptunian planet, initiated by Percival Lowell, was begun in 1905 and completed in 1907. The entire ecliptic was photographed, using a 5-inch Brashear lens of 35 inches focal length which covered a good usable field of 5 degrees. Many of the 250 plates made in this series were three-hour exposures, in order to reach the 16th. magnitude. The shorter exposures reached the 14th. magnitude. Cramer Iso-Instant and Seed’s 27 plates were used. Each plate pair of this series was laboriously examined by hand magnifier comparing star for star.

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