Education
His teacher at the Athenaeum Illustre of Amsterdam was Jean Henri van Swinden. In 1809 he was awarded a Candidaat degree by Leiden University. And in 1810 he went to Paris, where he studied under Delambre.
Astronomer mathematician physicist university professor
His teacher at the Athenaeum Illustre of Amsterdam was Jean Henri van Swinden. In 1809 he was awarded a Candidaat degree by Leiden University. And in 1810 he went to Paris, where he studied under Delambre.
A polymath in his interests, he published in four languages. From a family background in Amsterdam of commerce, Moll was drawn towards science. He took up astronomy with January Frederik Keijser in 1801.
Moll is noted for his later animus against "Napoleonic science", the tradition of the revolutionary period in France.
In 1812 Moll was appointed director at Utrecht Observatory, a position he then held for 26 years. And in 1815 professor of mathematics and natural philosophy at Utrecht, receiving an honorary Doctor of Philosophy (under Johannes Theodorus Rossijn).
During the "declinist" controversy in British science around 1830, Moll spoke in praise of the British tradition, against the trend of increasing professionalisation. In relation to claims that French scientists had tried to diminish the impact of Davy"s work, Moll relayed unfounded allegations to Faraday.
Mol; died of typhoid on 17 January 1838.
He became member of the Royal Institute of the Netherlands in 1815.