SAAO’S SALT and NASA’S Hubble Space Telescope Discovers New Dwarf Galaxy
While observing data from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and long-slit spectroscopy using the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), scientists discovered the Peekaboo dwarf galaxy (HIPASS J1131–31) is exceptionally metal-poor. Detailed in the recently published Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society collaborators and the South African Astronomical Observatory’s (SAAO) Astronomer…
South Africa Launches the PRIME Telescope To Advance Exoplanet Discovery
The new Prime Telescope in Sutherland, Northern Cape. Source: DSTI, South Africa
The South African Astronomical Observatory (NRF-SAAO) has launched the PRime-focus Infrared Microlensing Experiment (PRIME) telescope, designed to advance South Africa’s capabilities in exoplanet discovery and advance research in time-domain astronomy. The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation…
2024 in Review: The African Astronomy Landscape
The MeerKAT Radio Telescope Array in the Northern Cape Province, South Africa. Source: South African Radio Astronomy Observatory.
Throughout history, African cultures have been deeply connected to the cosmos, incorporating various celestial bodies in their day-to-day lives. Today, the continent has transformed this astronomical heritage into ambitious scientific pursuits, promoting…
South Africa to Launch its National Astro-Tourism Strategy
Part of the 64-dish MeerKAT Radio Telescope Array. Source: SARAO
The South Africa Department of Tourism, in collaboration with the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), will launch the country’s astro-tourism strategy at this year’s National Tourism Day celebration, which will take place on September 27, 2024. The launch will happen in the Northern Cape province, where MeerKAT, a…
South Africa Hosts Africa’s First IAU General Assembly
Cross-section of delegates at the IAU GA opening ceremony. Source: IAU General Assembly 2024
The International Astronomical Union is an international non-governmental organisation mandated to promote, safeguard and advance all aspects of astronomy. For the first time in over 100 years of the IAU’s existence, the IAU General Assembly, which happens every three years, finally happened on the…
Excerpt from the African Astronomical Society (AfAS) 2024 Annual Conference
The African Astronomical Society (AfAS) 2024 annual conference and business meeting was held in Marrakech, Morocco, from April 15 to 20, 2024. It was hosted by Cadi Ayyad University and the Oukaimeden Observatory and co-organised by AfAS committees and partners. The conference showcased expert speakers, pertinent stakeholders, influential figures, and dedicated astronomy professionals dedicated…
Space Security: US Space Force to Inaugurate the US Space Forces Europe and Africa Component
According to the United States of America’s European Command (EUCOM), the US Space Force will formally inaugurate its Europe and Africa component on 8 December 2023. The component, US Space Forces Europe and Africa (SPACE-EURAF), will become the fourth Space Force component integrated into one of the U.S. military's regional commands.
Furthermore, Colonel Max Lantz, currently overseeing…
South African Telescopes Plays Significant Role in Discovering a Rare Spinning White Dwarf Star
In a press release by the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), an international team of astronomers, including teams from South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) have discovered a rare type of spinning white dwarf star in a binary star system – only the second one known. This discovery…
South African Space Industry Inspires Western Cape’s Developing Communities with Former NASA Astronaut
NewSpace Systems, CubeSpace, Simera Sense, CubeCom, and the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) joined forces to host Space Day 2023, a STEM outreach event held at Stellenbosch University on May 19th.
As per the event synopsis provided by NewSpace Systems, the event brought together approximately 300 learners from the Western Cape area, providing them with a unique opportunity to connect…
Researchers Discover Rare White Dwarf Binary Star System [HP99] 159, in the Large Magellanic Cloud
In a press release by the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, a group of South African astronomers from the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) and researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics discovered a rare white dwarf binary star system, 159, occupying the Large Magellanic Cloud. The discovery, made through the Southern African Large…