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| Home / Articles / Nature and Leisure / Stargazing in South Africa - Starry, starry African night |
| Stargazing in South Africa - Starry, starry African night |
Africa’s remarkable night skies are legendary. The starry canopy visible throughout South Africa is one of the most extraordinary worldwide. We boast the Southern Cross, Milky Way views, and other constellations visible only in Southern Hemisphere.
The South African astronomical Observatory in Sutherland, Northern Cape, boasts the largest telescope in the Hemisphere. The R36m telescope brings with it anticipated growth of more star-struck visitors to our shores. The gigantic dome-shaped telescope has the power to change our current grasp of life.
"SALT will position South Africa at the forefront of 21st century astronomical research," says Thebe Medupe, a local astrophysicist. Astrophysicists globally believe SALT may activate a transformation more startling than the progression to quantamphysics.
With no Light pollution, and 80% starlight, The Observatory in Sutherland is considered the best point of observation in Africa, but because of its elevation (2000m above sea) also one of the coldest places in the country! If you’re up there in Winter, you’d be fooled into believing you’re in Europe, not Africa.
Of course there are other points of observation in this diverse country. Many a San/Bushmen legend revolves around the significance of the night sky and its countless stars. Olifants Rest Camp in the Kruger National Park, with its own telescope, hosts nightly stargazing ‘tours’.
The Cederberg Astronomical Observatory in the Cederberg Region is situated north of Cape Town in area of Clanwilliam. An arid region, part of the Klahari/Karoo,the Cederberg, is a beautiful but less frequented hiking destination. The Observatory is staffed on every evening except a full moon. It is equipped with telescopes and a Meade DSI CCD camera for capturing deep sky images. The area is also devoid of light pollution, creating astonishing sweeping blanket of stars unlike anything world round.
Best Stargazing spots in SA :
The South African Planetarium
South African Museum, Cape Town
The South African Astronomical Observatory, Sutherland, Karoo
Spreeufontein, Prince Albert
The Johannesburg Planetarium
Karoo National Park
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Best stargazing spots in SA
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