Centenary Star Party/Braai/Social day

There are some very old telescopes in this country of ours. One of them is the 18-inch refractor, "The McClean", at the observatory in Cape Town, which celebrated it's centenary a year or two ago.

Another is the Franklin-Adams 10-inch F4.5 photographic refractor, which is now housed at the old Broederstroom observatory overlooking the Haartebeespoort dam, which is 100 years old this year.

This telescope was housed at the Union observatory in Johannesburg for many years and was used to take the photographic plates on which Proxima Centauri (the closest known star to our sun) was discovered. It was also used to discover most of the 146 minor planets that were found at the Johannesburg observatory.

To celebrate this fine old lady's 100th birthday, the Johannesburg and Pretoria centres will be jointly holding a star-party at the Broederstroom observatory on the afternoon and evening of April 20th 2002.

There is another telescope on the site, the twin 16-inch Rockefeller refractor (which was also used for photography). You are all invited to come along. Bring some mopani worms to braai, or something, and some witsblitz to drink. Plenty of space for the kids to run around and a nice koppie to climb, as well as a stone-age structure with some archaeological significance on the site.

Please come along. Directions will be provided in next month's issue.

Brian Fraser