Background
Jacob Luyten was born in Semarang, Java, at the time part of the Dutch East Indies. His mother was Cornelia M. Francken and his father Jacob Luyten, a teacher of French.
Jacob Luyten was born in Semarang, Java, at the time part of the Dutch East Indies. His mother was Cornelia M. Francken and his father Jacob Luyten, a teacher of French.
Bachelor, University Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 1918. Doctor of Philosophy, University Leiden, The Netherlands, 1921. Doctor of Science (honorary), Case Western Reserve, 1967.
Doctor of Science (honorary), St. Andrews College, Scotland, 1971.
At the age of 11 he observed Halley"s Comet, which started his fascination with astronomy. He also had a knack for languages, and eventually could speak nine. He was the first student to earn his Doctor of Philosophy (at the age of 22) with Ejnar Hertzsprung at Leiden University.
In 1921 he left for the United States where he first worked at the Lick Observatory.
From 1923 to 1930 Luyten worked at the Harvard College Observatory eventually working at the observatory"s Bloemfontein station. Upon his return to the United States in 1931, he taught at the University of Minnesota from 1931-1967, then served as astronomer emeritus from 1967 until his death.
Luyten studied the proper motions of stars and discovered many white dwarfs. He also discovered some of the Sun"s nearest neighbors, including as well as the high–proper motion star system Luyten 726-8, which was soon found to contain the remarkable flare star Ultraviolet Ceti.
Member National Academy of Sciences (Watson medal 1964).
Married Willemina H. Miedema, February 5, 1930. Children: Mona R., Anne E., James R.