“We’ve made huge advances in our understanding of the universe, but we’re still making more and more discoveries. The South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) will celebrate 200 years of existence as an astronomical observatory on 20 October 2020. Click here to see other benefits and to sign-up to our reader community supporting quality, independent journalism. In fact, they have already completed a series of three animated videos of three minutes each of “indigenous stories about the stars”; South African singer David Kramer’s BliK Music composed the music for one of the videos. The Yonsei Survey Telescopes for Astronomical Research (YSTAR), decommissioned in 2012, was used for the monitoring of variable stars and other transient events. South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) is the national centre for optical and infrared astronomy in South Africa. SAGOS consist of a 1 Hz permanent GPS station, a superconducting gravimeter, meteorological sensors, and a tri-axial magnetometer. [20] In April 2015 it discovered the first comet from South Africa in 35 years, C/2015 G2 (MASTER).

In addition to answering questions about the universe, Cunnama thinks that the observatory should explore the relationship between the indigenous peoples of South Africa and their connection to the stars.

For example, they knew when to hunt, which animal to hunt and when to plant crops, all from the stars. As part of the facility’s bicentennial …

We are pleased to announce the publication of a special astronomy edition of the NRF’s Science Matters magazine. It took a few years and much perseverance to complete the building, but in 1829, led by a promising young astronomer, the Rev Fearon Fallows, the building was complete. Walking through today’s library, one can read the journals of previous astronomers: writings from the time tell of wild animals, leopard, hippo and snakes roaming through the place; there was no drinking water on-site and the grounds of the observatory seemed rather inhospitable. [21], One of the two 1.20 metres (47 in) telescopes of the MOnitoring NEtwork of Telescopes Project is located at Sutherland. Since 2011, the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) has allowed for broader observations and “the telescope is finally realising its huge potential as Africa’s, The 200th anniversary also marks the unveiling of the SAAO as a National Heritage Site; due to Covid-19 the celebrations will be held virtually, starting in the morning of Tuesday 20 October and followed by the, , which will cover “current and future science, the history of astronomy on the continent, as well as cultural and sociological aspects of astronomy. [11] The telescope was manufactured by Sir Howard Grubb, Parsons and Co.[12], This 29.5 inches (75 cm) telescope was originally called the Automatic Photometric Telescope, but has been renamed the Alan Cousins Telescope in honour of Alan William James Cousins. Please email suthbookings@saao.ac.za or phone 076 900 0308 if you have any queries regarding bookings and tours for Sutherland. This large telescope was owned by the Radcliffe Trust, which dates back to 1772, who sold their Observatory in Oxford in 1931, to facilitate the move to Pretoria. Its twin can be found at the McDonald Observatory in Texas. Please subscribe to our mailing list for talks and reminders: https://list.saao.ac.za/wws/subscribe/saaotalks, [{"title":null,"description":null,"thumb":"https:\/\/www.saao.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/thumbnail-visitus.jpg","thumb_maxres":null,"img_alt":null,"hover_type":"video","hover_path":"https:\/\/www.saao.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/visitus.mp4","lightbox_path":null,"lightbox_path_icon":null,"lightbox_type":null,"lightbox_hook":null,"link":"\/visitus\/","link_icon":null,"target":"_self"}], [{"title":"What we do","description":null,"thumb":"https:\/\/www.saao.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/thumbnail-whatwedo.jpg","thumb_maxres":null,"img_alt":null,"hover_type":"video","hover_path":"https:\/\/www.saao.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/whatwedo.mp4","lightbox_path":null,"lightbox_path_icon":null,"lightbox_type":null,"lightbox_hook":null,"link":"\/what-we-do\/","link_icon":null,"target":"_self"}], [{"title":null,"description":null,"thumb":"https:\/\/www.saao.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/thumbnail-ourtelescopes-3.jpg","thumb_maxres":null,"img_alt":null,"hover_type":"video","hover_path":"https:\/\/www.saao.ac.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/testme.mp4","lightbox_path":null,"lightbox_path_icon":null,"lightbox_type":null,"lightbox_hook":null,"link":"\/explore\/our-telescopes\/","link_icon":null,"target":"_self"}], 2021 MSc and PhD Research Opportunities at SAAO, Astronomy special edition of NRF’s Science Matters magazine, The Premiere of New Planetarium Film ‘Rising Star’, The bicentenary of the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) and the Unveiling of the SAAO as a National Heritage Site.