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FIRST DAY: INDIGENOUS AFRICAN ASTRONOMY IDEAS AND BELIEFS
09:10 - 10:00 Invited speaker: Prof John McKim Malville (Dept of Astrophysical and Planetary Science, University of Colorado)
Astronomy and Stelae at Nabta Playa
ABSTRACT: Lying about 100 km west of Abu Simbel in southern Egypt, Nabta Playa is an internally drained
basin, which was occupied by pastoralists in the period of 11,000- 5000 years ago. During that time, the
hyper-aridity of the Western Desert was interrupted by the northward movement of the summer rains of
tropical Africa. Beginning about 7500 years ago a regional ceremonial center was established containing
cattle burials, complex stone structures, a calendar circle, and sandstone stelae. The presence of these
massive stelae suggests a long-lived political authority and a ceremonialism involving both the sun and
stars. Like Stonehenge, the stelae of Nabta Playa have generated both science and controversy.
10:00 - 10:30 Jeremy C. Hollmann (Dept of Archaelogy and Anthropology, Natal Museum, Pietermaritzburg)
The Sky's things; /Xam Bushman cosmology
ABSTRACT: According to the /Xam, or Colonial Bushmen, who lived in what is now South Africa's Northern Cape
Province, the celestial bodies and their present composition, position and 'behaviour' originate in events that took
place in a mythological time in which all living organisms and natural phenomena possessed, simultaneously,
human characteristics as well as those nascent properties which would later come to define them as the entities
we know today. This presentation chronicles various /Xam narratives in which the nature and origins of 'the sky's things'
are explained.
10:45 - 11:00 W. Koorts (SAAO) / A. Slotegraaf (ASSA)
/Xam astronomical references in G R von Wielligh's Boesman-Stories
ABSTRACT: The primary source of /Xam sidereal narratives are the well-known works by Bleek and Lloyd.
We present two new /Xam accounts, explaining the origin of the Sun and the origin of the Evening Star, as
collected and retold in Afrikaans by G R von Wielligh in Boesman-Stories, Part 1. We also present an
English translation of those parts of the book which contain astronomical references.
http://www.psychohistorian.org/vonwielligh/vonwielligh.html
11:00 - 11:10 Brian Fraser (ASSA, Jhb)
Comets in bushman paintings
ABSTRACT: One of South Africa's experts on Bushman painting, Bert Woodhouse, has a section in his
collection of thousands of slides of paintings, of what he calls "comets". We will have a look at some
of these and discuss his identification of the "comets"
11:10 - 11:35 Temba Matomela (Planetarium, CPT)
The Indigenous Astronomical Knowledge of the Xhosa
ABSTRACT: Xhosa people named many stars and star patterns in the night sky, and derived
their calendar from heliacal risings and the cycle of the Moon. In particular, the reappearance
of Isilimela (Pleiades) was used to set the date of initiation ceremonies. Planets were also
observed. Much knowledge has already been lost but the author has attempted to recover as
much as possible through field trips and radio broadcasts.
11:35 - 11:50 Lerothodi Leeuw (University of Chicago)
Setswana astronomical nomenclature
ABSTRACT: Africans across generations, like many people across the globe who can see, have been awed
by the night-sky that is visible to the human eye, i.e. their natural astronomical instrument. To varying
degrees, they have studied, commented on, and devised language for, often very specific and instructive,
astronomical objects of their interest. As we await full scientific operations of the Southern African
Large Telescope (SALT) and its studies of some of the optically faintest objects in the sky, we
examine (or re-examine) selected names and understanding of astronomical objects in the Setswana
language of South Africa and Botswana. We focus on their educational, scientific and cultural relevance
today and in the past, giving special mention to the Moon and Venus, the optically brightest objects
in the sky after the Sun.
11:50 - 12:05 Thebe Medupe, Brian Warner, Shamil Jeppie & Sharron Hawkes
The Timbuktu Science Project
ABSTRACT: Over six hundred years ago, Timbuktu was a major commercial centre in West Africa. Because
of its prosperity, the city attracted Islamic scholars from the Islamic world, creating large learning centres.
Books were traded, and local scholars wrote substantial original works as well. The subject covered in these
centres included astronomy, mathematics, optics, literature, law and religion. We have started a project to
search for the astronomy, mathematics and optics in these manuscripts. This is an introduction of what
the project is all about, and the feasibility studies of the project.
12:05 - 12:35 Dr J.O. Urama (Dept. of Physics & Astronomy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka)
Astronomy and Culture in Nigeria
ABSTRACT: Astronomy cannot be said to be entirely new in Nigeria. Most of the ethno-astronomical views are
revealed in the folklore, ancient architecture, religious practices, traditional poetry and art works of the different
ethnic groups. In Nigeria, there are hundreds of cosmogony and ancient astronomical practices that need to be
studied systematically. This paper discusses the need to bridge the gap between ethno-astronomy in Nigeria
and modern astronomy by providing scientific interpretation to such cosmogonies and ancient astronomical practices.
12:35 - 12:55 Anne Rogers (Cape Town)
The Making of Cosmic Africa - the research behind the film
ABSTRACT: The African continent, with its great variety of cultures and ancient skylore, provides an ideal backdrop
to examine and unearth indigenous astronomical knowledge that, for the most part, has largely remained
undocumented. Several years ago a small group of filmmakers set off to document some of this knowledge which
culminated in the documentary film, Cosmic Africa. The film was based on extensive field research which drew
on the expertise of village elders, sky experts, shamans, historians, archaeologists, linguists, astronomers
and anthropologists from seven countries. The vast and complex subject matter was eventually narrowed
down to focus on archaeological evidence and the traditional knowledge of three different societies: the
mysterious prehistoric cattle herders of the Egyptian Sahara (Nabta Playa),the Dogon of Mali (settled farmers)
and the hunter-gathering lifestyle of the Ju/'hoan culture of north-eastern Namibia. This paper will address the
various research methods used in the making of Cosmic Africa and also outline some of the rich and fascinating
subject material - from countries such as Ghana, Swaziland and Kenya - which was omitted from the film.
14:00 - 14:45 Invited speaker: Dr Jarita C. Holbrook (Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson)
The Cultural Astronomy of Africa - Recent Activities
ABSTRACT: We have reached a pivotal time in the study of the cultural astronomy of Africa. The last ten years
has seen African scholars initiating projects, an increase in articles focused on African astronomy, the recognition
of research in African astronomy at international meetings, and the building of a network of scholars and students.
Together, let's look at what has been accomplished in African cultural astronomy and what remains to be done.
http://www.uarizona.edu/~holbrook
14:45 - 15:30 Invited speaker: Prof Keith Snedegar (Dept of History and Political Science, Utah Valley State College, USA)
Problems and Prospects in the Cultural History of South African Astronomy
The inauguration of SALT is an auspicious moment to reflect on the history of South African astronomy, the
manner in which it has been represented in the past, and how it might best be represented in the future.
To begin, I will suggest that there is much to be learned about indigenous African astronomical practices,
and the study of regional ethnoastronomies has value in advancing culturally relevant basic science education.
I will also propose a mature historiography that embraces rather than avoids the issues of identity, politics,
and racism in the modern South African astronomical community. The character of national institutions
such as the Union/Republic Observatory and the SAAO, popular attitudes (black, white, and coloured)
toward astronomy, the political dynamics of international collaboration, and the gradual transition from
fundamental astronomy to astrophysics--all offer illuminating case studies of how the science was practiced
and perceived. In other words, historians have plenty of opportunity to explore the manifold construction of
human meaning in South African astronomy, and should not content themselves with the representation
this rich scientific enterprise as personal anecdotes of data collection.
http://www.uvsc.edu/profpages/view.cfm?user=snedegkei
15:45 - 17:45 Workshop on Social and Historical Aspects of the proposed NRF Astronomy Frontiers programme.
Ms Candice Levieux (NRF)
Purpose of the workshop: In developing the Astronomy Frontiers Programme there is a shared and
agreed vision that the social sciences and humanities research can actively make a contribution to
the initiative by developing an understanding of the place and meaning of the night sky in African
societies - past and present. To this end, the workshop aims to begin a discussion about possible
directions of enquiry within this theme and to map a process for its further development. The workshop
is open to all conference attendees.
Includes:
Keith Gottschalk (Political Studies Department, University of the Western Cape)
The Political Uses of Astronomy and Astronautics in South Africa
Astronomy and Astronautics lobby their cause in Western and developing countries alike as the
gateway to attract young minds into careers in science, maths, engineering, and technology.
The first democratic Government in South Africa, in its first decade, has surprised its friends
and critics alike by committing more budget to Astronomy than all previous governments since 1910.
The Minister of Science and Technology has announced that the young democracy will establish a
national space agency.
No leader of the Government or ruling party is known to have astronomy as his or her personal hobby.
What caused these unexpected developments? How may astronomy maximize this political trend? What are
the optimal strategies to sustain this state commitment? What would Government be receptive to in exchange?
Dr K J de Beer (Central University of Technology, Free State) & Dr M J Hoffman (UFS)
An Africanized study of astronomical history in the Northern Cape: South Africa for purposes
of secondary and higher education programmes in tourism management.
ABSTRACT: Dr MJ Hoffman, Head of the Department Physics, UFS, presented an address at the Duineveld
Secondary School in Upington to enhance courses in Toursm Management. He referred to the prominent
role of astronomy as well. Very aptly, the National Institute for Higher Education; Northern Cape, also invited
an astronomer, Dr T Medupe, to address their graduation ceremony in 2005. However, Dr Albert Strydom,
Programme Head of Tourism Management at the CUT, is much aware of the delicate nature of this type of
high scientific profile in Tourism Management. It is foreseen by Dr KJ De Beer, Director: Distance Education,
that Teaching and Learning in this field will be predominantly conducted via Open Learning and Distance
e-Learning methodology (ODEL). Subsequently, it is also important to understand the philosophy of ODEL
within global and Africanized perspectives. Astronomy in this case offers excellent examples of Africanized
science in practice to add scientific value to tourist packages in the Northern Cape.
Dr Otsile Ntsoane (Indigenous Knowledge Systems Unit, Dept of Science & Technology, SA)
Scientification of Africa's Intellectual Heritage: What They Did Not Tell Us About The Sky People and Mystery
ABSTRACT: The dawn of the new millenium and the branding of this epoch to be the African century revealed esoteric
and wisdom based knowledge systems which were kept secret and sacred for many centuries before. The history of
heavenly bodies and the interpretations of the galaxies should not be a monopoly of western science and its
technology but a shared wisdom combining human intellectual evolution and human settlement based on cosmology.
This paper will look at selected texts about the Afrocentric cosmology and how it is linked to the human
development and social cohesion and philosophy among BaSotho/BaTswana as case studies of Southern
Africa and Dogons of Mali representing North-Western Africa. A conclusion is drawn by demonstrating that
Philosophy and cosmology are the basis for defining a cosmogony among African communities. What is of
essence in this African century is to open the window for multiple interpretations of the universe. This includes
utilizing African Indigenous Knowledge Systems and orality in knowledge production and research.
SECOND DAY: CONTRIBUTIONS TO MODERN ASTRONOMY
09:00 - 09:45 Prof Brian Warner (Department of Astronomy, University of Cape Town)
The Origin and Development of the Royal Observatory, Cape of Good Hope
ABSTRACT: The African Astronomical History Symposium is taking place at the
site of the old Royal Observatory, Cape of Good Hope. There are many
buildings and remains of the long history of astronomy that was carried
out there. The talk will give an overview of the beginnings of the
observatory, and of its work, which will help to inform the visitors of
the nature of the extant buildings and instruments.
http://mensa.ast.uct.ac.za/staff/warner.html
09:45 - 10:30 Kobus Meiring (Project Manager of SALT)
Contribution on SALT (Southern African Large Telescope)
ABSTRACT: The Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) is a 10-m class telescope for optical/infrared
astronomy based on the tilted Arecibo design first adopted by the Hobby Eberly Telescope. SALT has
been constructed by a South African project team commissioned by a consortium consisting of 11 partners
from six countries. SALT will enable a quantum leap in astronomical research capability in the African
continent, where up to now the largest telescope was a modest 1.9-m, dating to the 1940s. The SALT
Project was approved in November 1999, groundbreaking followed in September 2000, and "First Light"
was announced on 1 September 2005, exactly five years after groundbreaking. SALT has subsequently
started scientific observation, while instrument commissioning is on-going. The major technical obstacles
in SALT were the alignment of the 91 identical spherical mirror segments, the position feedback of the
prime focus tracker, and the dome seeing associated with large enclosures at a sight with large daily
thermal cycles. All of these issues were addressed thoroughly during the design phase, and observations
are showing very positive results in all these areas. This talk will summarize the international partnership
in SALT and the management and organisation of the project and then address the basic design, with
emphasis on the technical challenges and the specified performance of SALT, and then summarise the
construction process.
10:45 - 11:00 Dr I.S. Glass (SAAO)
Discovery of the nearest star
ABSTRACT: Proxima Centauri, the nearest star other than the sun, is part of a triple system, its other members
being the two components of the bright double star Alpha Centauri. In the nineteenth century, Alpha Cen was
the nearest star known, thanks to data obtained at the Royal Observatory, Cape of Good Hope. Proxima, the
present nearest known star, was discovered to be such in 1917 at the Union Observatory (later Republic
Observatory) in Johannesburg.
http://www.saao.ac.za/~isg
11:00 - 11:30 D J Vermeulen (ASSA JHB)
Some glimpses into the past at the Johannesburg Observatory
presented by AW Herder
This presentation is illustrated with some of the many pictures appearing in the author's
book 'Living amongst the stars' which it is hoped will be published in the near future.
It starts with the work done by David Gill at the Cape Royal Observatory on astrophotography leading
to J C Kapteyn's contribution to the Cape Photographic Durchmustering and the subsequent friendly
relationships with observatories in the Netherlands.
The opening of the Transvaal Meteorological Department in 1905 is illustrated leading to the first
astronomical ventures. By 1910 the observatory was committed to southern sky mapping and continued
along this path until 1938. The successive telescopes are illustrated.
The presentation continues with sketches of the Union and Republic Observatory directors and shows
some of their contributions to astronomy and timekeeping. Co-operation with Leiden Observatory is shown
at the Broederstroom annexe.
11:30 - 11:45 Chris deConing (ASSA, CPT)
Introduction to the ASSA Historical Website
I wish to give a presentation on the Historical website which forms part of the ASSA website,
hosted by SAAO. The purpose is to introduce it to the wider community interested in the
history of astronomy. The presentation will include: how the website came about, its goals
and aims, its layout / structure, the work that has been done and the advantages of a
website as a medium for storing, presenting and making available the information.
11:45 - 12:05 Dr Patrick Seitzer (University of Michigan)
The Large American Refractors in South Africa
ABSTRACT: In the first third of the 20th century South Africa became the center for universities from the USA
pursuing astronomy in the Southern Hemisphere. Harvard had its station at the Boyden Observatory near
Bloemfontein, while two other universities built and installed large refractors for specific observational
programs. The first refractor was the 66-cm of Yale University located in Johannesburg, and used for the
photographic determination of stellar distances. The second was the 68-cm visual refractor of the University
of Michigan located at the Lamont-Hussey Observatory on Naval Hill in Bloemfontein, and dedicated to visual
observations of double stars. These telescopes became the first southern hemisphere stations for both universities.
While both were used extensively for many years, sadly neither telescope remains in existence today. The Yale
refractor was moved to Mt Stromlo in Australia in 1952, where it was destroyed in the fire of 2003. Observations
with the Lamont refractor continued until 1971, and shortly thereafter the lens was returned to Michigan and the
telescope parts removed from the dome (now used as a theatre).
12:05 - 12:30 Dr Hakeem M. Oluseyi, (U Alabama Huntsville)
Contributions from the First Half-Century of African American astronomers with a Focus on Solar Physics.
ABSTRACT It has been exactly half a century since the first African American received a Ph.D. degree and
successfully entered into a career in astronomical research. Since that time, a total of twelve scientists have
followed in the wake of this trailblazer. Exactly half of these chose to spend a major portion of their career in
the field of solar physics. The contributions of these six individuals have had a profound impact on our
understanding of the sun, stars, and their immediate environments. In this talk I will review the scientific
contributions of these scientists and develop the historical & social context their work.
http://www.uah.edu/physics/personnel/faculty/oluseyi.html
14:00 - 14:45 Invited speaker: Dr Wayne Orchiston (James Cook University, and Anglo-Australian Observatory)
Amateurs in the Antipodes: The Common Denominators of South African, Australian and
New Zealand Astronomy during the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries
ABSTRACT: During the second half of the nineteenth century amateur astronomy flourished in Australia.
Like their professional counterparts, Australia's leading amateurs carried out wide-ranging astronomical observations.
Comets, planets, minor planets, lunar occupations, Jovian satellites, transits of Mercury and Venus, solar and
lunar eclipses, double stars and variable stars all belonged in their portfolios, and they published in international
journals and relentlessly popularized astronomy. Local societies were founded, and amateur telescope-making
came of age. However, a major change took place during the first two decades of the new century as Australian
amateurs turned increasingly to comets and variable stars and abandoned other celestial targets.
South Africa and New Zealand had much smaller nineteenth century amateur astronomical populations, and
the few international-level amateurs tended to focus: with South Africa's AW Roberts it was variable stars
while for New Zealand's John Grigg it was comets. These two fields then increasingly captivated the growing
bands of observationally-oriented amateurs in both nations between 1910 and 1930―just as in Australia.
In this paper we will embark on a 'Cook's tour' of South African, Australian and New Zealand amateur
astronomy of the period 1850-1930. We will explore some of the key personalities, visit their observatories and
instruments, review their observations and discuss their involvement in the earliest astronomical groups and
societies. Along the way we will compare and contrast the patterns in these three countries, identify 'common
denominators' and major differences, and seek explanations for these.
14:45 - 15:05 Rupert Hurly (ASSA, Cape Town)
Some Forgotten Instruments and Oddities Concerning This Observatory
ABSTRACT: Since 1957 things that have been here but have been removed or are no longer used include: the
large searchlight, the kine-theodolite, three sets of Moonwatch telescopes, the 6-inch used twice daily for
sunspot photographs, the hydrogen-alpha filter sun camera, the 40-inch now in Sutherland, the Danjon Astrolabe
and the Transit instrument.
15:05 - 15:25 W. Koorts (SAAO)
Transit of Venus Observations and Relics in South Africa
ABSTRACT: Apart from local observations, two international expeditions observed the 1882 Transit of
Venus from South Africa. The British/South African efforts observed from four stations, using a total of 11
telescopes while the Americans employed four instruments, including the telescope of the ladies
seminary where they stayed.
Very few relics survived to this day. Most well known are the two concrete piers in Touws River. A Dallmeyer
equatorial mount was recently discovered at a school in Somerset West which may have originated at the Touws
River site.
At SAAO Cape Town, a typical "transit of Venus" 6-inch Grubb equatorial, used by Sir David Gill, is still in
working condition. The wooden tube 7-inch Merz refractor, used by George Maclear (son of Sir Thomas),
today serves as a finder telescope and its original "cannon ball bearing" dome and equatorial mount can be
seen, right next to the venue for the AAHS. The site at Aberdeen Road in the Eastern Cape was recently
located using a GPS fix and the area examined for possible relics. Unfortunately none were found but the
position of the site with respect to Aberdeen Road raises some questions.
The position of the site of the American expedition to Wellington could since be located within metres after
obtaining Simon Newcomb's report, showing that my previously assumed position was wrong. His report
further revealed some interesting details not known before.
15:45 - 16:00 Prof Derck Smits (UNISA)
Astronomy at Unisa
ABSTRACT: In 1916 the University of the Cape of Good Hope, an examining body with the power to grant
degrees, was transformed into a new federal university. The name of the institution was changed to
the University of South Africa (Unisa) and its headquarters were moved to Pretoria. Astronomy has been
offered at Unisa since 1923, the same year in which the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa
was formed. In response to pressure from unattached students from all races to obtain qualifications
without attendance at a university or college, in 1946 Unisa started teaching some subjects internally.
With about 200,000 students, Unisa is one of the largest distance education institutes in the world.
In 1960 Mr J. Wolterbeek was appointed as the first full time lecturer in Astronomy, and in 1972 the
9-inch Reunert Telescope, donated to Unisa by the Republic Observatory, was installed in a roof-top
observatory on the new Theo van Wyk building on Mucklneuk Ridge. Unisa currently offers a BSc
major in Astronomy and post-graduate tuition up to the PhD level.
16:00 - 16:30 Michael Gaylard & George Nicolson (Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory)
Forty years of radio astronomy at Hartebeesthoek
In 1961 an 85-foot (26-metre) diameter radio antenna was erected at Hartebeesthoek near Johannesburg,
as NASA's Deep Space Instrumentation Facility 51. A young South African engineer employed there soon
initiated a radio astronomy research programme to use free time between tracking spacecraft. On the closure
of the facility by NASA in 1974, it was re-constituted as a radio astronomy observatory operated by the CSIR.
In this presentation we highlight various strands of the forty year history of radio astronomy at Hartebeesthoek.
We also cover some of the perhaps surprising spinoffs that it has generated, both scientifically and practically.
Some of these spinoffs hark back to measurements taken by de la Caille at the Cape in the 1750's, and to the
reasons for establishing a Royal Observatory there in the 1820's.
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