Johannesburg Centre, Astronomical Society of Southern Africa

Astronomical Society of Southern Africa

You are cordially invited to attend a special function arranged to celebrate the centenary of the Franklin-Adams 10-inch telescope.

When : Saturday April 20th 2002

Where : Toppieshoek, Broederstroom (see below)

Time : From 3:00 pm onwards. Star gazing after dark.

Why :       The Franklin-Adams telescope was built in England 1902 and taken to South Africa to photograph
                the southern sky. After being taken back to England it was returned to South Africa and installed at
                the old Union observatory in Johannesburg where it was used extensively. The closest star to our sun,
                Proxima Centauri was discovered on plates taken with this telescope. The year 2002 thus marks the
                centenary of this telescope.

Nature of Function

This function is being jointly hosted by the Johannesburg and Pretoria centres of the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa with the kind assistance of the Pretoria Technikon.

Apart from learning about the Franklin-Adams telescope, we will also be able to see the twin 16-inch Rockefeller telescope, which has a very nice 8-inch refractor finder-scope, which we may be able to use after dark to see the stars.

You will be able to braai at your leisure (please bring all food and drinks) .

At about 18:30 we will have a short talk, after which we will be able to do some star viewing. Please bring your telescope along.

Directions to Toppieshoek

"Toppieshoek" is the old Broederstroom observatory, overlooking the Haartebeestpoort dam. From Johannesburg take the R511 past Lanseria airport. At the T junction after crossing the Jukskei river bridge near Pelindaba, turn left. Travel 6.5 kms along this road and turn right, just past a new shopping centre and petrol station. Just before this road comes to a dead end , the entrance to Toppieshoek is on the right hand side. Go straight up this road to the observatory.

The turnoff to the observatory, at the shopping centre/petrol station, is signposted "Oberon"

Brian Fraser

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