David Levy is a Canadian amateur astronomer who, in 1993, along with Gene and Carolyn Shoemaker, discovered the most famous comet of recent years. Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, as it became known, attracted the attention of public and professionals alike when it smashed into Jupiter in July 1994. Levy discovered his first comet in 1984 and since then has discovered 20 more – 8 from his own backyard and 13 in collaboration with the Shoemakers at Palomar Observatory. He is also the author of a number of popular astronomy books.