Abstract
JACOBUS CORNELIUS KAPTEYN was born at Barneveld, Holland, on January 19, 1851. He studied at Utrecht from 1869 to 1875, and was then appointed an observer at Leiden Observatory, where he remained for two years. In 1878 he was appointed professor of astronomy and theoretical mechanics at the University of Groningen. He was in the unusual position of an astronomical professor without an observatory, and he immediately applied to the Dutch Government for the means to equip a students' observatory; he mentioned in particular a 6-inch heliometer as desirable. The application, however, was unsuccessful, and for a few years his lectures monopolised his attention. Then, finding that he had time to spare and no instruments, he began to look about for some useful astronomical work of a computational kind that he could carry out. Circumstances soon brought a task well fitted to his tastes.
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CROMMELIN, A. Prof. J. C. Kapteyn, For. Mem., R.S.. Nature 110, 48–49 (1922). https://doi.org/10.1038/110048a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/110048a0
