Both an intimate account of the life of one of America's most important astronomers and the story of his car, a 1911 Stevens-Duryea, this biography provides an insight into life as a US astronomer during the early 20th century.
This is the story of one car -- a 1911 Stevens-Duryea Model Y "Big Six" -- and its famous owner Percival Lowell, the American astronomer best known for his studies of Mars and mathematical prediction of the discovery of Pluto. The narrative follows the vehicle from its time with Lowell to its present status as a moving landmark of history.
Important developments in the early history of the gasoline-powered automobile are traced to establish the context in which this remarkable vehicle was created. The community in which the Duryea brothers labored and their role in the automobile industry are discussed. The text also provides an intimate look at the life of one of America's most important astronomers.
