About Jan Woltjer
Lived 1891 – 1946 (aged 54). Jan Woltjer was a Dutch astronomer and university teacher.
Jan Woltjer (3 August 1891, Amsterdam – 28 January 1946, Leiden) was a Dutch astronomer.
Woltjer was the son of the classical scholar Jan Woltjer. On 13 December 1916 he married Hillegonda de Vries in Groningen. He worked and taught at Leiden University, where Gerard P. Kuiper was one of his students. He was the father of the astronomer Lodewijk Woltjer (1930–2019), who was the director general of the European Southern Observatory from 1975 to 1987.
The crater Woltjer on the Moon and the asteroid 1795 Woltjer are both named after him.
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Important facts
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Jan Woltjer?
Dutch astronomer (1891-1946)
When was Jan Woltjer born?
Jan Woltjer was born on 3 August 1891.
When did Jan Woltjer die?
Jan Woltjer died on 28 January 1946.
What was Jan Woltjer's occupation?
Jan Woltjer was an astronomer and university teacher.
What nationality was Jan Woltjer?
Jan Woltjer was Dutch.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Jan Woltjer (astronomer)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jan Woltjer. https://biography.guide/jan-woltjer/
MLA: "Jan Woltjer." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jan-woltjer/.
Chicago: "Jan Woltjer." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jan-woltjer/.
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