John Birmingham (astronomer)

John Birmingham (1816-1884) was an Irish amateur astronomer. He is best known for his observations of variable stars, particularly his independent discovery of the recurrent nova T Coronae Borealis in 1866. He also compiled a catalogue of red stars, titled Catalogue of Red Stars Observed Between 1877 and 1879, published by the Royal Irish Academy in 1881. Birmingham made these observations from his private observatory in Millbrook, County Galway, Ireland. He contributed numerous articles to scientific journals, including The Astronomical Register and Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Birmingham was a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. His work was highly regarded by professional astronomers of his time, despite his amateur status.