Blaauw was born in Amsterdam to Cornelis Blaauw and Gesina Clasina Zwart,[1] and studied at Leiden University and the University of Groningen, obtaining his doctorate at the latter in 1946.

In the 1950s he worked a few years at the Yerkes Observatory, before returning to Europe in 1957 to become director of the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute in Groningen.

[2] Blaauw was closely involved in the founding of the European Southern Observatory, and was its general director from 1970 to 1975.

[2] He chaired the committee for assigning scientific priorities for the observing programme of the astrometric satellite Hipparcos.

[2] Among his many honours he was made member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1963,[3] elected a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1973.