Kenneth Glyn Jones (1915-1995) (original) (raw)

Kenneth Glyn Jones (November 13, 1915 - July 26, 1995)

Kenneth Glyn Jones was born in New Tredegar, Wales on November 13, 1915. He got interested in astronomy when being in the Scouts. He joined the Royal Air Force at Anstey in 1938 and during World War II, served in the Far East as bomber navigator. In 1946 he joint BOAC and became a senior Technical Instructor, specializing on astro-navigation and later aircraft performance. He retired from British Airways in 1974.

In 1944, he married Gwynneth Brown Morgan. She died in 1968. In 1969 he remarried Brenda.

As an amateur astronomer, Kenneth Glyn Jones worked in instrument making and in particular, history of astronomy. He played a major role in forming the Webb Societyin 1967 and became its first president, a post he occupied for 23 years. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society on February 14, 1969.

Kenneth Glyn Jones is author of a number of astronomical and historical articles and books, including Messier's Nebulae and Star Clusters (1968 and 1991), one of the most thorough and deepest printed treats of Charles Messier's work related to the catalog, The Search for the Nebulae (1975), a history of deepsky discoveries previously published in a series of nine papers, and the eight-volume series, The Webb Society Deep-Sky Observer's Handbook (1975-1990).

Based on a drawing by Charles Messier, he found an uncataloged deepsky discovery by Messier, namely that of the second companion of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31): NGC 205, which he assigned the Messier number M110, in 1966. This is the latest and perhaps last addition to the Messier Catalog. Moreover, he served as editor for the Quarterly Journal of the RAS.

Kenneth Glyn Jones died from heart problems on July 26, 1995 at age 79 in his home in Berkshire.

The astronomical community has honored him by the naming of asteroid (5861) Glynjones, discovered by E. Bowell at Andersen Mesa on September 15, 1982, and provisionally designated 1982 RW. A prediscovery observation had been designated 1972 RR2.

References:

• Kenneth Glyn Jones, 1968 and 1991.Messier's Nebulae and Star Clusters. First edition, Faber & Faber Ltd, 1968. [ADS: 1968msns.book.....J] Second edition, Cambridge University Press, 1991. [ADS: 1991mnsc.book.....J].
• Kenneth Glyn Jones, 1975. The Search for the Nebulae. Chalfont St. Giles. [ADS: 1975sene.book.....J] Previously published as a series of papers in the_Journal of the British Astronomical Association_:
  • The Search for the Nebulae -- I. JBAA, Vol. 78, No. 4 (1968), pp. 256-267 (May 1968) [ADS: 1968JBAA...78..256J] (Introduction,Ptolemy,Al Sufi).
  • The Search for the Nebulae -- II. JBAA, Vol. 78, No. 5 (1968), pp. 360-368 (Jul 1968) [ADS: 1968JBAA...78..360J] (Ulugh Begh,Tycho Brahe,Johann Bayer,Galileo,Marius,Boulliau,Hevelius,Kirch).
  • The Search for the Nebulae -- III. JBAA, Vol. 78, No. 6 (1968), pp. 446-454 (Oct 1968) [ADS: 1968JBAA...78..446J] (Flamsteed,Halley,Bevis,De Mairan).
  • The Search for the Nebulae -- IV. JBAA, Vol. 79, No. 1 (1968), pp. 19-25 (Dec 1968) [ADS: 1968JBAA...79...19J] (Derham,Maupertuis,Cassini II,Maraldi).
  • The Search for the Nebulae -- V. JBAA, Vol. 79, No. 2 (1969), pp. 105-112 (Jan 1969) [ADS: 1969JBAA...79..105J] (De Chéseaux,Le Gentil).
  • The Search for the Nebulae -- VI. JBAA, Vol. 79, No. 3 (1969), pp. 213-222 (Mar 1969) [ADS: 1969JBAA...79..213J] (Lacaille,Oriani,Darquier,Koehler).
  • The Search for the Nebulae -- VII. JBAA, Vol. 79, No. 4 (1969), pp. 268-275 (May 1969) [ADS: 1969JBAA...79..268J] (Bode).
  • The Search for the Nebulae -- VIII. JBAA, Vol. 79, No. 5 (1969), pp. 357-370 (Jul 1969) [ADS: 1969JBAA...79..357J] (Messier).
  • The Search for the Nebulae -- IX. JBAA, Vol. 79, No. 6 (1969), pp. 450-459 (Oct 1969) [ADS: 1969JBAA...79..450J] (Messier,Méchain, Summary).
• Kenneth Glyn Jones (ed.), 1975-1990.Webb Society Deep-Sky Observer's Handbook. Series of 8 volumes. Enslow Publishers, Hillside, NJ and Aldershot, Hants, UK.
  • Vol. 1: Double Stars. 1975 (UK) and 1978 (int). viii+120 p. [ADS: 1975wsoh.book.....J] and [ADS: 1979wsds.book.....J]
  • Vol. 2: Planetary and Gaseous Nebulae. 1978 (UK) and 1979 (int.). x+149 p. [ADS: 1978wsoh.book.....J] and [ADS: 1979wsds.book.....J]
  • Vol. 3: Open and Globular Clusters. 1980. xiv+206 p. [ADS: 1980wsds.book.....J]
  • Vol. 4: Galaxies, 1981. xvi+238 p. [ADS: 1981wsds.book.....J]
  • Vol. 5: Clusters of Galaxies, 1982. xiv+241 p. [ADS: 1982wsds.book.....J]
  • Vol. 6: Anonymous Galaxies, 1987. [ADS: 1987wsds.book.....J]
  • Vol. 7: The Southern Sky, 1987. [ADS: 1987wsds.book.....J]
  • Vol. 8: Variable Stars, 1990. xiv+210 p. [ADS: 1990wsds.book.....J]
• Orbituary: R. Argyle, 1996. Kenneth Glyn Jones (13 November 1915 - 26 July 1995) Quarterly Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 37, No. 2, p. 265 [ADS: 1996QJRAS..37..265A]. [The major information source for this webpage]

[SEDS] |[MAA] |[Home] |[History Home] |[Biographies]

Hartmut Frommert
Christine Kronberg
[contact]