South Africa's national optical observatory, tracing its lineage to the Royal Observatory founded at Cape Town in 1820 and now operating its principal telescopes from a dark-sky site at Sutherland in the Northern Cape. It anchors professional optical astronomy across the African continent.
Facts
Observatory TypeNational centre for optical and infrared astronomy in South Africa 2 LocationHeadquarters in Cape Town, with major telescopes at Sutherland, Northern Cape, South Africa 2 MeasuresResearch spanning planetary studies and the nature and life cycle of stars and galaxies both near and far 3 Operating PrincipleObserving site at Sutherland chosen for dark, unpolluted Karoo skies with little heavy cloud cover 3 Classification
Observing Band Observing Band Connections
Operated By
Source Wikipedia: South African Astronomical Observatory - Wikipedia
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Source Wikipedia: South African Astronomical Observatory - WikipediaLead sentence 1Quote, Lead sentence 1
The South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) is the national centre for optical and infrared astronomy in South Africa.
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1. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
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2. Wikipedia: South African Astronomical Observatory - Wikipedia
Lead section
the national centre for optical and infrared astronomy in South Africa
Infobox
Major telescopes in Sutherland, Northern Cape
History section
established in 1972
South African Astronomical Observatory, Wikipedia - lead section, observing band (infrared)
The South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) is the national centre for optical and infrared astronomy in South Africa.
South African Astronomical Observatory, Wikipedia - lead section, observing band (optical)
The South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) is the national centre for optical and infrared astronomy in South Africa.
In Group: Optical Observatories of Africa and Oceania, Lead sentence
The South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) is the national centre for optical and infrared astronomy in South Africa.
Operated By: National Research Foundation of South Africa, Article text: operator
The observatory is run by the National Research Foundation of South Africa.
View the Source3. About - South African Astronomical Observatory
About page, research focus paragraph
Research has ranged from planetary studies to the nature and life-cycle of stars and galaxies both near and far.
About page, Sutherland site paragraph
Since 1972, SAAO astronomers have benefited from the dark, unpolluted skies of the Karoo, with little to no heavy cloud cover to negatively affect observing.
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