Eugene Merle Shoemaker

Eugene Merle Shoemaker
Born	(1928-04-28)April 28, 1928 Los Angeles, California, US
Died	July 18, 1997(1997-07-18) (aged 69) near Alice Springs, Australia
Nationality	American
Alma mater	California Institute of Technology Princeton University
Known for	Planetary science Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9
Spouse	Carolyn S. Shoemaker (m. 1951)
Awards	G. K. Gilbert Award (1983) Barringer Medal (1984) National Medal of Science (1992) William Bowie Medal (1996) James Craig Watson Medal (1998)
Scientific career
Fields	Planetary geology[1]
Institutions	U.S. Geological Survey, California Institute of Technology
Thesis	Impact mechanics at Meteor Crater, Arizona. (1960)
Doctoral advisor	Harry Hammond Hess

Eugene Merle Shoemaker (April 28, 1928 – July 18, 1997) 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 1994: the impact was televised around the world. 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.