Wilfred Kapteyn

Wilfred Kapteyn (1881–1951) was a Dutch astronomer known for his work on the structure of our galaxy. He contributed to understanding how stars are distributed in the Milky Way and how the galaxy’s structure influences our view of the cosmos. Kapteyn developed models of the galaxy based on star counts and published the "Kapteyn Universe," which was an early attempt to map its shape and size. His research helped lay the groundwork for modern galactic astronomy, advancing our understanding of the Milky Way’s organization and our place within it.