Biography

Carolyn Shoemaker was born on June 24, 1929 in Gallup, New Mexico, USA. She is known for Deep Impact (1998), The Infinite Voyage (1987) and National Geographic Specials (1965). She was married to Eugene Shoemaker. She died on August 13, 2021 in Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.

Astronomer, expert on comets and asteroids.

Co-discoverer in 1993 with astronomer David Levy and her husband Gene of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, whose shattered pieces collided with the planet Jupiter the next year. Discover or co-discoverer of more than 30 other comets, twice as many as any other woman in history, and of hundreds of asteroids.

She grew up in Chico, California.

She earned bachelor's and master's degrees in history, political science, and English literature at what is now California State University, Chico.

She met her future husband, geologist Gene Shoemaker, at her brother's wedding; he was her brother's roommate at the California Institute of Technology.