Johann von Lamont
Encyclopedia
Johann von Lamont was a Scottish
-German astronomer
and physicist
.
near Inverey
in Aberdeenshire
, Scotland
. The son of Robert Lamont (forester to James Duff
) and Elizabeth Ewan, his education began at the local school in Inverey
, near Braemar
. In 1817 his father died and John was sent to be educated at St James' monastery (Scots Benedictine College) at Ratisbon, Germany. He began to work in astronomy and joined the Bogenhausen Observatory, became its director in 1835, took his doctorate of philosophy in 1830 and became professor
of astronomy in 1852 at Munich University. At the observatory he undertook the task of creating a star catalog that had about 35,000 entries.
His most important work was on the magnetism
of the Earth
. He performed magnetic surveys in Bavaria and northern Germany
, France
, Spain
, and Denmark
. He discovered a magnetic decennial period (ten-year cycle) and the electric current in the Earth closing the electric "circuit" creating the magnetic field in 1850. This roughly matched the eleven-year sunspot
cycle discovered by Heinrich Schwabe.
He calculated the orbit
s of the moons of Uranus
and Saturn
, obtaining the first value for Uranus' mass. By chance he observed Neptune
in 1845 and twice in 1846, but did not recognize the object as being a new planet
.
Lamont is the author of Handbuch des Erdmagnetismus (1849).
He died, single, in Munich
, Germany and his considerable wealth was used to found scholarships in sciences.
and title of nobility from the King of Bavaria. The statue on his tomb in Munich has him with an open hand, into which the locals put small coins. In 1934 the Deeside Field Club erected a granite memorial cairn in his memory at Inverey, Scotland. It was unveiled by Sir James Jeans.
The following astronomical features were named in his honor:
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
-German astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
and physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
.
Biography
Von Lamont was born John Lamont at CorriemulzieCorriemulzie
Corriemulzie is a locality on the Linn of Dee road about 3 miles west of Braemar, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.The locality includes the Corriemulzie Burn that flows through the Linn of Corriemulzie, and under the Corriemulzie Bridge...
near Inverey
Inverey
Inverey is a hamlet on Mar Lodge Estate, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland that straddles the Ey Burn close to its confluence with the River Dee.Inverey comprises two 'communities' separated by the Ey Burn - Muckle Inverey on the east bank and Little Inverey on the west.-John Farquharson, 3rd of...
in Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The son of Robert Lamont (forester to James Duff
James Duff, 2nd Earl Fife
James Duff, 2nd Earl Fife was a Scottish Earl, Baron and Minister of Parliament.-Heritage:James Duff was second son of William Duff, 1st Earl Fife, and Jean Grant , his fathers second wife. His father, son of William Duff of Dipple, co. Banff, was M.P...
) and Elizabeth Ewan, his education began at the local school in Inverey
Inverey
Inverey is a hamlet on Mar Lodge Estate, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland that straddles the Ey Burn close to its confluence with the River Dee.Inverey comprises two 'communities' separated by the Ey Burn - Muckle Inverey on the east bank and Little Inverey on the west.-John Farquharson, 3rd of...
, near Braemar
Braemar
Braemar is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, around west of Aberdeen in the Highlands. It is the closest significantly-sized settlement to the upper course of the River Dee sitting at an altitude of ....
. In 1817 his father died and John was sent to be educated at St James' monastery (Scots Benedictine College) at Ratisbon, Germany. He began to work in astronomy and joined the Bogenhausen Observatory, became its director in 1835, took his doctorate of philosophy in 1830 and became professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of astronomy in 1852 at Munich University. At the observatory he undertook the task of creating a star catalog that had about 35,000 entries.
His most important work was on the magnetism
Magnetism
Magnetism is a property of materials that respond at an atomic or subatomic level to an applied magnetic field. Ferromagnetism is the strongest and most familiar type of magnetism. It is responsible for the behavior of permanent magnets, which produce their own persistent magnetic fields, as well...
of the Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
. He performed magnetic surveys in Bavaria and northern Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. He discovered a magnetic decennial period (ten-year cycle) and the electric current in the Earth closing the electric "circuit" creating the magnetic field in 1850. This roughly matched the eleven-year sunspot
Sunspot
Sunspots are temporary phenomena on the photosphere of the Sun that appear visibly as dark spots compared to surrounding regions. They are caused by intense magnetic activity, which inhibits convection by an effect comparable to the eddy current brake, forming areas of reduced surface temperature....
cycle discovered by Heinrich Schwabe.
He calculated the orbit
Orbit
In physics, an orbit is the gravitationally curved path of an object around a point in space, for example the orbit of a planet around the center of a star system, such as the Solar System...
s of the moons of Uranus
Uranus
Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun. It has the third-largest planetary radius and fourth-largest planetary mass in the Solar System. It is named after the ancient Greek deity of the sky Uranus , the father of Cronus and grandfather of Zeus...
and Saturn
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
, obtaining the first value for Uranus' mass. By chance he observed Neptune
Neptune
Neptune is the eighth and farthest planet from the Sun in the Solar System. Named for the Roman god of the sea, it is the fourth-largest planet by diameter and the third largest by mass. Neptune is 17 times the mass of Earth and is slightly more massive than its near-twin Uranus, which is 15 times...
in 1845 and twice in 1846, but did not recognize the object as being a new planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
.
Lamont is the author of Handbuch des Erdmagnetismus (1849).
He died, single, in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Germany and his considerable wealth was used to found scholarships in sciences.
Honours
His many honours include FRS, FRSERoyal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
and title of nobility from the King of Bavaria. The statue on his tomb in Munich has him with an open hand, into which the locals put small coins. In 1934 the Deeside Field Club erected a granite memorial cairn in his memory at Inverey, Scotland. It was unveiled by Sir James Jeans.
The following astronomical features were named in his honor:
- Lamont (Martian crater).
- Lamont (lunar crater)Lamont (lunar crater)Lamont is a low ridge in the surface of Mare Tranquillitatis that is most likely an impact feature. It is located to the southeast of the crater Arago....
.