FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (KGUN) — The historic Lowell Observatory, which discovered the now-dwarf planet of Pluto, announced this week that it will drastically reduce internally funded research and shrink its paid science staff to just two permanent positions as it grapples with a sustained decline in grant funding and mounting financial pressures.
In a message to staff and in a public statement, the historic Flagstaff observatory said it will consolidate its research support around two priority areas — planetary defense and exoplanet research — and move to a funding model that requires most scientists to secure external grants to cover their salaries and project costs. Under the new approach, Lowell will continue to operate its facilities and welcome independent researchers, but it will no longer underwrite the majority of research positions it has historically supported.
“We must adapt how our science is funded to ensure the long-term sustainability of Lowell’s mission,” the observatory said, emphasizing a shift toward targeted internal mission scientists plus an expanded push for private philanthropic support.
Local reporting and statements from the observatory indicate the change will affect roughly 70–80% of its research staff. Several veteran astronomers who previously received institutional support were told they will need to obtain outside grants to remain paid researchers at Lowell. The observatory plans to retain two mission scientists whose work aligns with the identified strategic priorities; other researchers will be able to continue using telescopes and facilities but without Lowell-funded salaries.
Officials attributed the move to sustained declines in federal and other grant funding in recent years. Public accounts cited by news outlets said grant dollars at Lowell have fallen sharply, with some reporting declines of about 30% annually over recent years, a trend that the observatory said has made its previous funding model untenable.
The announcement comes after major investments in Lowell’s public-facing infrastructure in recent years, including the creation of the Astronomy Discovery Center. Observatory leaders said revenue from public programs has grown but cannot fully replace research grants, so they are pivoting to a leaner, more targeted research program while increasing efforts to build private contributions.
The cuts have prompted concern among the scientific community. Supporters warn that reducing institutionally funded positions can erode long-term research stability and hamper the ability of scientists to pursue high‑risk, high‑reward projects that fall outside short-term grant cycles. Advocates for stable research appointments say tenure-like institutional support is important for protecting academic freedom and fostering breakthroughs.
Lowell also said it will introduce policies to preserve research collaboration and mentorship, including an Emeritus status for senior scientists and formal recognition for independent researchers who continue to contribute to the observatory’s mission.
The observatory framed the changes as painful but necessary to “sustain the research mission” while protecting its public programs and core scientific strengths. Leadership said the institution will continue tracking near‑earth objects and searching for and characterizing exoplanets, and urged supporters and donors to help shore up its scientific work going forward.
Lowell officials did not immediately provide a full timetable for implementation or a detailed breakdown of which positions will be eliminated. The observatory said it will engage with staff and the scientific community as the transition moves forward.
In 1930, Clyde Tombaugh, working at Lowell Observatory, discovered Pluto using the observatory’s astrograph and blink comparator, and the observatory announced the finding. Pluto was reclassified as dwarf-planet status- a trans‑Neptunian object in the Kuiper Belt - by the International Astronomical Union on August 24, 2006, when the IAU adopted a formal planet definition (Pluto fails the “clearing its orbital neighborhood” test).
