Percy B. Molesworth

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Percy Braybrooke Molesworth (April 2, 1867December 25, 1908) was a Major in the corps of Royal Engineers and amateur astronomer. He obtained his commission in 1886 and was stationed at Fort Camnden until 1891. He then was ordered to Hong Kong and three years later moved to Trincomalee on Ceylon (now called Sri Lanka). He retired in 1906 intending to pursue astronomy full-time at his estate at Trincomalee. But he died of dysentry before he could realize his plans.

He was a talented observer creating first-class drawings of Mars and Jupiter in the years 1903 to 1905. He is credited with discovering a "great disturbance" in the southern bands of Jupiter on February 28, 1901. Known as the "South Tropical Disturbance" it lasted for close to forty years.

A crater on Mars was named in his honor.

[edit] External links

[edit] Obituaries

[edit] Other publications