Arthur Stanley Williams | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1861 Brighton, England |
| Died | 21 November 1938 |
| Nationality | English |
| Awards | Jackson-Gwilt Medal (1923) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astronomy |
| Institutions | Royal Astronomical Society |
Arthur Stanley Williams (1861 inBrighton – 21 November 1938) was an Englishsolicitor and amateurastronomer. He dedicated himself to thetelescopic observation of theplanets. He also was enthusiastic aboutyachting, winning theChallenge Cup in 1920.
Using a 6½ inch reflector on anequatorial mount for most of his work, he published an influential paper in 1896: "On the Drift of Surface Material of Jupiter in Different Latitudes."[1] With this work he greatly strengthened the efforts to systematically observe Jupiter. He also invented the naming ofbelts and zones in 1898. He championed the method of determining thelongitude of surface features using their central meridian transit.
In 1899 he published his most influential paper: "Periodic Variations in the Colours of the two Equatorial Belts of Jupiter."[2]
He also observed spots onSaturn, and the "linear features" onMars, called "canals". He agreed early on withE. M. Antoniadi that these were largely illusory.
He was made a fellow of theRoyal Astronomical Society in 1884, and was awarded theJackson-Gwilt Medal in 1923.
The craterWilliams on theMoon and acrater on Mars[3] are named in his honor.
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