Key Takeaways:
- Jean-Louis Pons discovered many comets.
- He started as a doorkeeper but became a skilled astronomer.
- Pons used a special telescope designed for finding comets.
- His keen observation skills led to numerous comet discoveries.
On July 11, 1801, French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons made his first comet discovery, c/1801 N1. When he’d began his career in 1789 as a doorkeeper (essentially, a concierge) at Marseille Observatory, the directors had recognized his talents and taught him more about astronomy. That background, combined with his exceptional observational skills and the ability to remember star fields he’d previously viewed — therefore picking out changes quickly — Pons would go on to become history’s most successful comet-finder. Pon utilized a special “comet-seeker” telescope and focused on discovery, rather than recording precise measurements. He was dedicated and persistent, finding about one comet per year from 1801 to 1827, and amassing at least 37 comet finds by his death in 1831.
