John Couch Adams

John Couch Adams was a British mathematician and astronomer in the 19th century who predicted the existence and position of Neptune, the eighth planet in our solar system, before it was observed. Using mathematical calculations and understanding of planetary motions, he estimated Neptune’s location based on irregularities in Uranus's orbit. His predictions, made independently around the same time as others, were key in guiding astronomers to find Neptune. Adams’s work demonstrated how mathematics can be used to discover new celestial bodies and significantly advanced planetary astronomy.