For most American children, the name Pluto conjures up either one or both of these images: Pluto the Disney character and/or Pluto the (former) planet.  As a cartoon-obsessed kid with glow-in the dark solar system stickers, I had a deep affinity for both dog and planet.  It wasn't until my work on The Pluto Files that I learned about several lesser-known Plutos. 

Pluto the Myth: With the exception of Earth, planet names are derived from Roman and Greek mythology.  The ancient Romans knew Pluto as god of the underworld. Virgil, the classical Roman poet, wrote about Pluto and his golden palace in The Aeneid.

Atomic number 94: In 1940, scientists at UC Berkeley synthesized element 94 by bombarding uranium-238 with deuterons.  Named after the planet, this new addition to the periodic table of elements joined the nuclear arms race. The second atomic bomb that destroyed Nagasaki was made of Plutonium-239.

Fat Man, codename for the atomic bomb detonated over Nagasaki.

 Photo courtesy of the Department of Defense.

The Ultimate Flying Object: In 1957, American toy company WHAM-O introduced a flying plastic disc that would later become a staple on college campuses. Capitalizing on America's fascination with UFOs and growing interest in space, WHAM-O named their invention the Pluto Platter.  A few years later it was renamed the Frisbee

Exactly eighty years ago, Clyde Tombaugh (February 4, 1906 - January 17, 1997) discovered the elusive Planet X, which later became known as Pluto. Clyde Tombaugh wasn't your average planet hunter.  At eleven years of age, Clyde was already working on the family farm.  He planted corn and wheat by day and searched the skies at night.  He built his first telescope at eighteen and found the ninth planet in our solar system at twenty-four.  Clyde Tombaugh, a self-educated farm boy from a small town in the Midwest, discovered the most controversial celestial object in the history of astronomy!  To learn more about the man behind the discovery, The Pluto Files crew traveled to Clyde Tombaugh's hometown.

Behind the Scenes - On the Streets of Streator, IL
Filming in Streator, IL, birthplace of Clyde Tombaugh, was an amazing experience.  The people were so generous and were more than happy to accommodate our demanding film crew.  My first task in Streator was to find what we called a picture car.  For the film, the producer wanted Neil deGrasse Tyson, host of The Pluto Files, to drive into town in style.  So, I asked around and learned that Streator had just held its annual Roamer Cruise Night.  Over 600 vintage cars and 20,00 people attend this event.  (Streator's population hovers around 15,000.)  I hit the jackpot! Neil ended up driving this set of wheels:

But, this is no ordinary vintage 1959 pink Cadillac. This car can shoot fifty-foot flames from its tailpipes! After we finished filming, the owner was kind enough to demonstrate. Unfortunately, you will not see any dragon-like breaths of fire in The Pluto Files. You'll have to visit Streator, IL for that.