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→Further career
When the war ended, Lowell could not re-hire him. So he "re-upped" and joined the unit at the White Sands Missile Range at Las Cruces, New Mexico. There, among other achievements, he designed the IGOR (Intercept Ground Optical Recorder). This instrument (essentially a highly developed camera) remained in service at White Sands for 30 years before improvements became available.
When the war ended, Lowell could not re-hire him. So he "re-upped" and joined the unit at the White Sands Missile Range at Las Cruces, New Mexico. There, among other achievements, he designed the IGOR (Intercept Ground Optical Recorder). This instrument (essentially a highly developed camera) remained in service at White Sands for 30 years before improvements became available.
Tombaugh left White Sands in 1955. He joined the faculty at New Mexico State College at Las Cruces. In 1973, at the age of 67, he retired. Professor Emeritus Tombaugh traveled the country to raise money for the institution he had served the longest of all his employers.
Tombaugh left White Sands in 1955. He joined the faculty at New Mexico State College at Las Cruces. During that time he would have an eager young student named [[Walt Brown|Walter T. Brown, Jr.]], who now runs the [http://creationscience.com/onlinebook/ Center for Scientific Creation] in [[Phoenix]], Arizona. Brown says of his late mentor:
{{cquote|Going to his backyard to use his 9-inch handmade telescope was memorable. Professor Tombaugh was a warm, unpretentious man with the biggest smile you have ever seen. However, in class, he sometimes became irate [with] astronomers who made pronouncements but never touched a telescope.}}
In 1973, at the age of 67, he retired. Professor Emeritus Tombaugh traveled the country to raise money for the institution he had served the longest of all his employers.
He died at home in 1997, two and one-half weeks shy of his ninety-first birthday. Per his wishes, his survivors cremated him.
He died at home in 1997, two and one-half weeks shy of his ninety-first birthday. Per his wishes, his survivors cremated him.