John Reynolds (astronomer)
Encyclopedia
John Henry Reynolds was a British
astronomer
who served as the president of the Royal Astronomical Society
between 1935 and 1937 and is known for his work on the classification of stellar bodies. An amateur, he was the son of Alfred John Reynolds, the Lord Mayor of Birmingham
, who owned a company which cut nails. In 1899, at age 25, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society
and in 1907, he financed the construction of a 30-inch reflecting telescope
in Helwan, Egypt
, the first large telescope to study objects in the such southerly skies. He also hand-constructed a 28-inch telescope in Harborne
. Images from the Reynolds telescope was later used by Gérard de Vaucouleurs
in his system of classifying galaxies; Reynolds also published his own classification for spiral galaxies in 1920. Edwin Hubble
frequently corresponded with Reynolds, and some of his findings into the classification of stellar bodies seems at least inspired by his work. The Hubble-Reynolds Law, a formula for measuring the surface brightness of elliptical galaxies
, is named after them.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
astronomer
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
who served as the president of the Royal Astronomical Society
Royal Astronomical Society
The Royal Astronomical Society is a learned society that began as the Astronomical Society of London in 1820 to support astronomical research . It became the Royal Astronomical Society in 1831 on receiving its Royal Charter from William IV...
between 1935 and 1937 and is known for his work on the classification of stellar bodies. An amateur, he was the son of Alfred John Reynolds, the Lord Mayor of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, who owned a company which cut nails. In 1899, at age 25, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society
Royal Astronomical Society
The Royal Astronomical Society is a learned society that began as the Astronomical Society of London in 1820 to support astronomical research . It became the Royal Astronomical Society in 1831 on receiving its Royal Charter from William IV...
and in 1907, he financed the construction of a 30-inch reflecting telescope
Reflecting telescope
A reflecting telescope is an optical telescope which uses a single or combination of curved mirrors that reflect light and form an image. The reflecting telescope was invented in the 17th century as an alternative to the refracting telescope which, at that time, was a design that suffered from...
in Helwan, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, the first large telescope to study objects in the such southerly skies. He also hand-constructed a 28-inch telescope in Harborne
Harborne
Harborne is an area three miles southwest from Birmingham city centre, England. It is a Birmingham City Council ward in the formal district and in the parliamentary constituency of Birmingham Edgbaston.- Geography :...
. Images from the Reynolds telescope was later used by Gérard de Vaucouleurs
Gérard de Vaucouleurs
-External links:* * http://nedwww.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/normal_galaxies.html-Other resources:...
in his system of classifying galaxies; Reynolds also published his own classification for spiral galaxies in 1920. Edwin Hubble
Edwin Hubble
Edwin Powell Hubble was an American astronomer who profoundly changed the understanding of the universe by confirming the existence of galaxies other than the Milky Way - our own galaxy...
frequently corresponded with Reynolds, and some of his findings into the classification of stellar bodies seems at least inspired by his work. The Hubble-Reynolds Law, a formula for measuring the surface brightness of elliptical galaxies
Elliptical galaxy
An elliptical galaxy is a galaxy having an approximately ellipsoidal shape and a smooth, nearly featureless brightness profile. They range in shape from nearly spherical to highly flat and in size from hundreds of millions to over one trillion stars...
, is named after them.