Willem de Sitter

Willem de Sitter (May 6 1872 – November 20 1934) was a mathematician, physicist and astronomer. He was born in the city of Sneek in the Netherlands.

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May 6 - 1872 - November 20 - 1934 - Sneek - Netherlands

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Willem de Sitter studied mathematics at Groningen University and then joined the Groningen astronomical laboratory. He worked at the Cape Observatory in South Africa (1897-1899) then, in 1908, de Sitter was appointed to the chair of astronomy at Leiden University. He was director of the Leiden Observatory from 1919 until his death.

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Mathematics - Groningen University - Groningen - Astronomical - Observatory - South Africa - 1897 - 1899 - 1908 - Leiden University - 1919

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De Sitter contributed to our understanding of Cosmology. One of his accomplishments was to have co-authored a paper with Albert Einstein in 1932 in which they argued that there might be large amounts of matter which does not emit light, now commonly referred to as dark matter.

Related Topics:
Albert Einstein - 1932 - Dark matter

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De Sitter was also famous for his research on the planet Jupiter.

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