Bart J. Bok was a Dutch-American astronomer known for his significant contributions to the study of star formation and the structure of the Milky Way galaxy. He was born on April 2, 1906, in the Netherlands and later moved to the United States, where he worked at various prestigious institutions, including the Mount Wilson Observatory and the University of Arizona. Bok is perhaps best known for the Bok globules, which are small, dense clouds of gas and dust that can lead to the formation of new stars. His research helped to advance the understanding of how stars are born and evolve, making him a prominent figure in the field of astrophysics. He passed away on August 5, 1983.