Albertus Antonie Nijland

Albertus ( Albert) Antonie Nijland ( born October 30, 1868 in Utrecht, † August 18, 1936 in Utrecht ) was a Dutch astronomer.

Nijland was professor of astronomy at the Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht, and served as director of Sterrewacht Sonnenborgh (now the Sterrekundig Instituut ) of the University.

In 1901 he participated in a research trip to Karang Sago in Sumatra, to explore the solar eclipse.

He was known in Astronomische Nachrichten, and in other journals, from 1917 to 1936 for his observations of variable stars and publications of some articles about it. He suggested that the variable stars of each constellation using a simple counting system consisting of a letter and a number to call. Although the two- letter system was widespread, after some time, his system was adopted.

The Nijland crater on the Moon is named after him.