BornAmsterdam, the Netherlands, 18 January 1785

DiedAmsterdam, the Netherlands, 17 January 1838

Dutch astronomer Gerard Moll directed the Utrecht Observatory for 26 years. The son of Gerard, a wealthy Amsterdam merchant, and Anna (née Diersen) Moll, he became a junior clerk in an Amsterdam mercantile house around 1800. It was a job he undertook with reluctance but performed satisfactorily. His spare time was devoted to mathematical and scientific studies, including astronomy. After several years, Moll’s father allowed him to undertake academic studies at the University of Amsterdam. Moll was awarded a Ph.D. in 1809, and afterwards studied at the University of Paris.

In 1812, Moll was appointed director of the Observatory at the University of Utrecht. Following that institution’s reorganization in 1815, Moll was also appointed professor of mathematics and natural philosophy, a post which he held until his death. The university, however, failed to provide much in the way of support or...