Albertus Antonie Nijland

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Albertus Antonie Nijland

Albertus Antonie Nijland (born October 30, 1868 in Utrecht , † August 18, 1936 in Utrecht) was a Dutch astronomer .

Life

Albertus Antonie was the son of the teacher Arend Jan Nijland (* June 20, 1826 in Delden; † January 1, 1916 in Utrecht) and his second wife Theodora Johanna Arnoldina Niemeijer (* December 5, 1832 in Wageningen; † March 31, 1873 in Utrecht). In 1877 he had attended the school where his father taught until he attended the municipal grammar school in Utrecht in 1880 and in 1886 devoted himself to a scientific study of astronomy at the University of Utrecht . In 1895 he became an observer at the Sonnenborgh observatory in Utrecht . Under Willem Kapteyn he did his doctorate with the thesis Over een bijzondere soort van geheele functiën (German: About a special kind of whole functions) to the doctor of the natural sciences. On November 20, 1897, he received his doctorate again. Under Jean Abraham Chrétien Oudemans , he earned his doctorate in mathematics and astronomy as an op fotografische platenden with the work Uitmeting van den sterrehoop GC 4410, zoowel door Rechtsstreeksche waarneming.

On May 24, 1898, Nijland was appointed professor of astronomy and probability at the Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht , and took over the management of the Utrecht observatory. For this purpose, he gave the introductory speech on September 23, 1898, Hetrecht van bestaan ​​der kleine sterrenwachten. In the academy year 1911/12 he acted as rector of the alma mater . In order to research the solar eclipse , he undertook expeditions to Karang Sago in Sumatra in 1901 , to Burgos in 1905, to Maastricht in 1912 and to Hernösand in 1914. He was known for his observations on variable stars and for publishing several articles about them in Astronomical News and other magazines from 1917 to 1936. He suggested naming the variable stars in each constellation using a simple counting system consisting of a letter and a number. Although the two-letter system was already widely used, its system was adopted after a while.

He mainly devoted himself to the study of Jupiter and some comets. The Nijland crater on the moon is named after him. He received an honorary doctorate from the University of St Andrews in 1911, became a member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences and Knight of the Order of the Dutch Lion in 1911 .

Nijland married on August 18, 1904 in Utrecht with Maria Margaretha Johanna Moll (born January 15, 1878 in Pijnacker, † February 4, 1975 in Utrecht) the daughter of Pieter Moll (born April 1, 1831 in Enkhuizen; † December 16 1918 in Utrecht) and his wife Jakoba Maria van Leeuwen Boomkamp (born January 16, 1836 in Edam; † May 18, 1914 in Utrecht). The daughter Theodora Johanna Nijland (born October 31, 1905 in Utrecht; † June 26, 2005 in Zwolle) came from the marriage and married Andries Hendrik Wigand Boele on May 12, 1930 in Utrecht (closed June 7, 1952) ( * September 21, 1902 in Elen en Rhaan (Hellerdoorn); † April 22, 1969 in Doetinchem).

literature

  • HAM Snelders: Nijland, Albertus Antonie (1868-1936). In: Biographical Woordenboek van Nederland. The Hague, 1985, Vol. 2, ( Online )
  • F. de Roy: AA Nijland. In: Gazette Astronomique, Vol. 23, pp. 91–92 (obituary, French)
  • J. Plassmann: AA Nijland. In: Astronomische Nachrichten, Vol. 261, p. 311 (obituary)

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Nijland, Albertus Antonie
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Dutch astronomer
DATE OF BIRTH October 30, 1868
PLACE OF BIRTH Utrecht
DATE OF DEATH August 18, 1936
Place of death Utrecht