Science and technology in South Africa

The first significant work in astronomy in South Africa was performed by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille between 1751 and 1753, culminating in the measurement of the arc of the southern meridian and a catalog of almost 10 000 southern stars, later published as Coelum Australe Stelliferum.^[1]^[2]

The Royal Observatory was established at the Cape of Good Hope in 1820 and opened in 1829.^[3] Today, with the main observing site having moved from the Cape of Good Hope to a higher site near Sutherland, it is host to the Southern African Large Telescope as well as numerous other South African and international telescopes.

Notable astronomers who have worked in the country include John Herschel who published Results of astronomical observations made during the years 1834, 5, 6, 7, 8, at the Cape of Good Hope in 1847^[4] and David Gill whose work include the Cape Photographic Durchmusterung.

The Karoo Array Telescope (or MeerKAT) is under construction as a pathfinder for the $2 billion Square Kilometer Array (SKA) project, which will be split between sites in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. South African students and young professionals are involved in the South African SEDS, Students for the Exploration and Development of Space.

^ Theal, George M'Call (1897). History of South Africa under the administration of the Dutch East India Company, 1652 to 1795. London: S. Sonnenschein & Co., Ltd. pp. 74–75.
^ Nicolas Louis de La Caille, Thomas Henderson, Francis Baily, John Frederick William Herschel (1847). A catalogue of 9766 stars in the southern hemisphere, for the beginning of the year 1750, from the observations of the Abbe de Lacaille made at the Cape of Good Hope in the years 1751 and 1752. London: R. and J.E. Taylor. Retrieved 12 June 2011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ Clerke, Agnes M. (1893). A popular history of astronomy during the nineteenth century. p. 8.
^ Results of astronomical observations made during the years 1834, 5, 6, 7, 8, at the Cape of Good Hope. The Smithsonian/NASA Astrophysics Data System. 1847. Bibcode:1847raom.book.....H.

[theal-7475-1] Theal, George M'Call (1897). History of South Africa under the administration of the Dutch East India Company, 1652 to 1795. London: S. Sonnenschein & Co., Ltd. pp. 74–75.

[catalog-2] Nicolas Louis de La Caille, Thomas Henderson, Francis Baily, John Frederick William Herschel (1847). A catalogue of 9766 stars in the southern hemisphere, for the beginning of the year 1750, from the observations of the Abbe de Lacaille made at the Cape of Good Hope in the years 1751 and 1752. London: R. and J.E. Taylor. Retrieved 12 June 2011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[clerke-8-3] Clerke, Agnes M. (1893). A popular history of astronomy during the nineteenth century. p. 8.

[4] Results of astronomical observations made during the years 1834, 5, 6, 7, 8, at the Cape of Good Hope. The Smithsonian/NASA Astrophysics Data System. 1847. Bibcode:1847raom.book.....H.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

Science and technology in South Africa

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · View on Wikipedia