JEAN LOUIS PONS (1761-1831), French astronomer, was born at Peyres (Hautes Alpes) on the 24th of December 1761.. He entered the Marseilles observatory in 1789, and in 1819. became the director of the new observatory at Marlia near Lucca, which he left in 1825 for the observatory of the museum. at Florence. Here he died on the 14th of October 1831.. Between 1801 and 1827 Pons discovered thirty-seven comets, one of which (observed on the 26th of November 1818) was named after J. F. Encke, who determined its remarkably short period.
See M. R. A. Henrion, Annuaire biographique, i. 288 (Paris, 1834); Memoirs Roy. Astron. Soc. v. 410; R. Wolf, Geschichte der Astronomie, p. 709; J. C. Poggendorff, Biog. lit. Handworterbuch.