J.A.C. Oudemans and Nineteenth Century Astronomy in the Dutch East Indies

It has been argued that physics and astronomy served the international geopolitical interests of European powers during the nineteenth century. This notion can be applied to the situation in the Dutch East Indies around this time, and provided a beneficial situation for J.A.C. Oedemans who was able to pursue his interest in astronomy. During his stay in the Dutch East Indies, from 1857 to 1875, Oedemans carried out a range of astronomical observations, including variable stars and the 1868 and 1871 total solar eclipses. He also tried to observe the 1874 transit of Venus. But his primary task was to co-ordinate the trigonometrical survey of the Dutch East Indies. In this chapter we will briefly explore his astronomical activities while in the Dutch East Indies and show how he tried to contribute to science by observing the 1868 and 1871 total solar eclipses, both of which were important for the advancement of solar physics.