John Evershed facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Evershed
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| Born | 26 February 1864 Gomshall, Surrey, UK
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| Died | 17 November 1956 (aged 92) Ewhurst, Surrey, UK
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| Spouse(s) | Mary Ackworth Orr Evershed |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astronomy |
John Evershed (born February 26, 1864 – died November 17, 1956) was an important English astronomer. He was the first person to notice how gases move inside sunspots. This special movement is now called the Evershed effect, named after him!
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About John Evershed
John Evershed was born in a place called Gomshall in Surrey, UK. He made his famous discovery about sunspots in 1909. At that time, he was working at the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory in India.
His Own Observatory
After he retired in 1923, John Evershed didn't stop studying the stars. He built his very own observatory at his home in Ewhurst, Surrey. There, he created special tools called spectroheliographs. These tools helped him study the Sun's light in great detail.
He spent many years looking at how the Sun spins. He also studied bright areas on the Sun called prominences. He kept working until 1950, when his observatory closed. He then gave some of his valuable instruments to the Royal Greenwich Observatory.
Working with Others
In 1890, John Evershed helped start the British Astronomical Association. This group was for people who loved astronomy. He also led sections of the association that focused on studying the Sun's light.
Awards and Special Honours
John Evershed received many important awards for his work.
- In 1894, he became a member of the Royal Astronomical Society.
- In 1915, he was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honour for scientists in the UK.
- In 1918, he won the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society. This is one of the biggest awards an astronomer can get!
- When he retired in 1923, he was given the title of Companion of the Indian Empire.
There is even a [[Evershed (crater)|crater on the Moon]] named after him!
His Life Outside Astronomy
John Evershed was married to another astronomer, Mary Acworth Orr Evershed. They even worked on some projects together!
Besides astronomy, John Evershed was also very interested in insects. He especially loved lepidoptera, which are butterflies and moths. In fact, a type of butterfly called Thoressa evershedi was named after him. This happened because he collected the first example of that butterfly in 1910.
John Evershed passed away in Ewhurst, Surrey, on November 17, 1956. His old papers and notes were later bought by the Science Museum, London in 2015.
