Mallas is author (together with Evered Kreimer) of The Messier Album, one of the first and most comprehensive books on the objects in Messier's catalog, where he contributed eyepiece descriptions and many drawings of the Messier objects. Most of these observations had been made with his 4-inch f/15 Unitron refractor, from Covina, California, during the years 1958-62.

Around 1965, John Mallas found the identity of Messier's M40 with the double star Winnecke 4 (see Winnecke's Catalog), published in a letter to Sky and Telescope (Mallas 1966).

Mallas started as an amateur astronomer in Des Moines, Iowa where he utilzed the facilities of Drake University. Later he used his 4-inch Unitron refractor from Covina, California; Cherry Hill, New Jersey; and Scottsdale, Arizona. The Messier Object survey was part of a more extensive sky survey. Mallas' astronomical work included systematic examination of double stars, clusters, nebulae, and galaxies.

John Mallas passed away in October, 1975.

References:

• John Mallas, 1966. Letter to the Editor. Sky and Telescope, August 1966, p. 83. Available online.
• John Mallas and Evered Kreimer, 1978. The Messier Album. Sky Publishing Corporation, 1978 (second revised printing 1979)