Person Adams; John Couch (1819 - 1892); mathematician and astronomer Adams John Couch mathematician and astronomer 1819 - 1892 British Male Laneast, near Launceston, Cornwall, England 5 June 1819 1819 The Observatory, Cambridge, England 21 January 1892 1892 Burial: PLOT 2D5, St Giles' cemetery, now Ascension Cemetery, Cambridge

St John's College, Cambridge, England (1849)

mathematician and astronomer Astronomy Mathematics Education: Local school at Laneast, Cornwall, England; St John's College, Cambridge. BA (1843, Senior Wrangler and 1st Smith's Prizeman), MA Career: Fellow, St John's College, Cambridge; Lowndean Professor of Astronomy, Cambridge University (1858-192); Director, Cambridge Observatory (1861-1892); died after a long illness. Memberships: FRAS (President 1851–1853; 1874–1876) Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Awards/Medals: Smith's Prize 1843 Adams Prize 1848 Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society 1866 Parents: Thomas Adams (1788–1859), tenant farmer, and Tabitha Knill Grylls (1796–1866), a farmer's daughter. Siblings: William Grylls Adams (FRS 1872) Spouse: Eliza Bruce, daughter of Halliday Bruce of Dublin (2 May 1863) Discovered the origin and orbit of the Leonids meteor shower. Predicted the location of Neptune in the sky by mathematical calculation. Remembered for Linear multistep methods and Tidal acceleration. Promoted women in astronomy. Royal Society roles: VP 1875-1876 Medals and prizes: Copley Medal 1848 Fellow 07/06/1849 30 James Booth; Eaton Hodgkinson; Philip Henry Pye Smith; Alexander Tweedie; William Whewell; James Challis; William Hopkins; Robert Willis; William Hallowes Miller, John Hymers Richard Sheepshanks; Henry Broughham; David Thomas Ansted; Baden Powell; William Henry Smyth; Charles Brooke; John Wrottesley, Charles Babbage Sources: Bulloch's Roll; DNB; DSB References: David W Hughes, 'J C Adams, Cambridge and Neptune', review of H M Harrison, Voyager in Time and Space: The Life of John Couch Adams, Cambridge Astronomer in NR 1996 vol 50 pp 245-248, plate R W Home, 'The Royal Society and the Empire: the colonial and Commonwealth Fellowship. Part 2. After 1847' in NR 2003 vol 57 pp 47-84 R Iliffe and J Young, 'Report. Newton on the net: first and prospective fruits of a Royal Society grant' in NR 2004 vol 58 pp 83-88 W Sheehan and S Thurber 'John Couch Adams's Asperger Syndrome and the British non-discovery of Neptune' NR 2007 vol 61 pp285-300 ©The Royal Society International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) - Ottawa 1996 ISBN 0-9696035-3-3 National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 https://url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/LqPyCO7XvHpGwBNCvhjuGBPuz?domain=royalsocietypublishing.org RCN 50645 RCN 13728 https://url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/wY5TCNxKrc0R9gZUmfjuyeT19?domain=pictures.royalsociety.org 5 Jun 1819 - 21 Jan 1892 The past Fellows entries are under continuous revision. If you have queries or additional information to contribute, please contact Library@royalsociety.org. Content in external sources is not controlled by the Royal Society and historical sources may include content that is now unacceptable. Reviewed on 14/08/2024 as part of the Name Authority Project update. NA7558 21/11/2001 Andyg pmab 17/03/2026 RS_NET\VirginiaM Yes http://viaf.org/viaf/19822938 36bd4f80-3a52-4527-99c4-b4ee6a12168d