Conducting original research into South Africa’s astronomical heritage, and communicating the results, is a key objective of the Centre. This includes documenting astronomical aspects of cultural heritage, indigenous knowledge systems, and immovable & movable tangible heritage.

Collaborators and project partners are warmly invited to contact the Centre if they are interested in working together on these projects, or would like to propose projects.

Currently active projects

  1. Cataloguing & Digitising the Boyden Observatory Archive (EAP1190) [BOYD002MAN17S]
  2. Ongoing Archiving at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), Cape Town [SAAO009CPT16S]

Completed projects

  1. Cataloguing the SAAO Graphical Collection [SAAO012CPT17K]
  2. The SAAO Comet Plate Collection [SAAO014CPT18S]

Active but Interrupted projects

  1. Site investigations at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), Cape Town [SAAO001CPT15S]
  2. Development of the THP Environmental Monitoring Logger [HARD001NA.16S]
  3. SAAO Oral Histories Project: Digital Preservation of Africa’s Oldest Scientific Institution: [SAAO003CPT16S]
  4. Timeline of the Royal Observatory, Cape of Good Hope / SAAO [SAAO004CPT16S]

Pilot study approved. Funding needed.

  1. Starlight ZA: Saving the night sky by monitoring artificial light at night across South Africa [ALAN001ZAF17S]
  2. Monitoring Light Pollution at the AeHai Heritage Park [ALAN002DC817S]
  3. Old Observatories in South Africa [OBSV001ZAF___ ]
  4. Cape Association Dome [ASSA001CPT___ ]
  5. Biographies of ASSA members [ASSA002ZAF___ ]
  6. Records of the ASSA Pretoria Centre [ASSA003TSH_ ]
  7. The 1910 Daylight Comet [COMT001ZAF___ ]
  8. Astronomical Materials in the CSIR Archives, Pretoria [CSIR001TSH___ ]
  9. Astronomical Plates of the Republic Observatory [REPB001JHB___ ]
  10. Data visualisation: Temporal data [DATA001NA.16S]
  11. Collaborative References Database [DATA002NA.S]
  12. ESO Site Testing in South Africa [ESO.001WC.___ ]
  13. South African Sundials [HARD002ZAF__]
  14. The Visit of Mason and Dixon [MSDX001CPT___ ]
  15. SAAO Historical Materials held in the UK [ROCG001UK___S]
  16. South Africa and the Rings of Uranus [SAAO005CPT___ ]
  17. The Great Indian Theodolite [SAAO006CPT___ ]
  18. History of the SAAO Sutherland [SAAO007DC6___ ]
  19. The Table Mountain Telescope [TELE001CPT___ ]
  20. The Port Elizabeth Cooke 8-inch [TELE002NMA___ ]
  21. Places of Astronomical Interest [PLAC001ZLS20S]
  22. Commemorative Days [COMM001NA.20S]

Cancelled projects

The following projects were developed and piloted but ultimately cancelled because funding could not be secured:

  1. Upgrading of the SAAO Astronomical Museum [SAAO011CPT17S]
  2. StellarVoices @SAAO: Oral histories of South Africa’s astronomy practitioners. [SAAO008CPT17S]
  3. SAAO Archives [SAAO009CPT17S] but see [SAAO012CPT17K] above

Protecting South Africa’s astronomical heritage