Jean-Louis Pons

Jean -Louis Pons ( born December 24, 1761 Peyre ( Hautes- Alpes), † October 14, 1831 in Florence) was a French astronomer.

Between 1801 and 1827 discovered 37 comets Pons and is so far the most successful comet discoverer.

Pons astronomical career did not begin until 1789, when he took the post of caretaker at the Observatoire de Marseille at the age of 27 years. The director of the observatory gave him lessons in astronomy. His first comet discovered Pons on 11 July 1801. Subsequently he specialized as his compatriots Charles Messier and Pierre Méchain, in search of comets and found up to ten within one year ( August 1826-August 1827 ).

Pons later used home-built telescopes, about which little is known, however. In his notes are hints that his " Large viewfinder " a field of view of 3 ° had. It thus is obviously a device with a large opening, a relatively short focal length and lower magnification, which is also known as " comet seeker".

Although Pons developed great skill in tracking the comet, his records, however, are often vague, and it seems that he had little interest in the determination of orbits.

Due to its success Pons received in 1813 the post of assistant at the Marseilles Observatory. In 1818 he was awarded the Lalande Prize of the French Academy of Sciences for the discovery of three comets in a year. 1819 appointed him Maria Luisa of Spain as director of the newly established observatory Marlia near Lucca. His title was " Her Majesty's Royal astronomer, director of the astronomical department of the Observatory and Professor Emeritus of the Royal Lyceum ". Pons took place immediately after his arrival in Lucca a comet and the observatory initially looked forward to a bright future. However, the Institute seemed to have put all its energy into the construction of the observatory. The benefits were modest and after only four years of operation has been set. Pons had discovered in Lucca seven comets. 1825 appointed by the Grand Duke Leopold II him as Director of the Observatory and Museum of Physics and Natural History in Florence. Until his death Pons discovered there seven more comets.

Although Pons discovered five periodic comets that bear his name only three, namely 7P/Pons-Winnecke, 12P/Pons-Brooks and 273P/Pons-Gambart. The comet found on 26 November 1818 referred after a few years as Encke, named after the astronomer Johann Franz Encke, who calculated its path and the remarkably short periodicity noted. The Formerly known as " Pons- Winnecke -Forbes - Coggia " comet is now called 27P/Crommelin, according to Andrew Crommelin, of certain whose orbit.

The lunar crater is named after him Pons.

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