Eugene shoemaker biography summary worksheet
Gene Shoemaker made major contributions to planetary science..
Eugene Merle Shoemaker
American geologist and astronomer (–)
Eugene Merle Shoemaker (April 28, – July 18, ) was an American geologist.
He co-discovered Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 with his wife Carolyn S. Shoemaker and David H. Levy. This comet hit Jupiter in July the impact was televised around the world.
Gene Shoemaker mapped the Moon, trained astronauts and discovered more than asteroids.
Shoemaker also studied terrestrial craters, such as Barringer Meteor Crater in Arizona, and along with Edward Chao provided the first conclusive evidence of its origin as an impact crater. He was also the first director of the United States Geological Survey's Astrogeology Research Program.
He was killed in a car accident while visiting an impact crater site in Australia. After his death, some of his ashes were carried to the Moon with the Lunar Prospector mission.
Early life and formal education
Shoemaker was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Muriel May (née Scott), a teacher; and George Estel Shoemaker, who worked in farming, business, teaching, and motion p