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ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
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Republic
Observatory
Popularly
known as Johannesburg or Union Observatory
1903 - 1971
Note:
The name of the Observatory changed three times, reflecting
the political changes in South Africa during its existence. The official
names were as follows: [Personal communication with Vermeulen; CL]
- Transvaal
Meteorological Department
1903 - 1909
- Transvaal
Observatory
1909 - 1912
- Union
Observatory
1912
- 1961
- Republic
Observatory
1961 - 1971
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Photo Gallery:
Johannesburg
Observatory
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- The
Observatory closed down. The Current Information section is
not relevant to this Observatory.
- In
the late 1960s, an amalgamation of astronomical facilities
in South Africa took place in order to form the current
S.A.A.O. Some of the instruments were moved to Sutherland
in the Karoo.
Location:
- The
buildings still exist. Address: 18a Gill Street, Observatory,
Johannesburg
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Noted
for:
- Between
1911 and 1938 the Observatory detected 579 new minor planets.
At the time it was a record for any institution.
- Discovery
of Proxima Centauri, faint companion star of Alpha Centauri,
made by Innes.
- Discovery
of over 6 000 double stars and cataloguing over 20
000 double stars. [Personal communication with Vermeulen]
Summary:
-
The Observatory was initially known as the Transvaal Meteorological
Department, and as the name indicate, the main concern was
the weather. Due to political and administrative changes and the
vigour of R.T.A. Innes (1st Director) and subsequent Directors,
the observatory became an excellent astronomical institution. However,
growing light pollution problems in Johannesburg and the next set
of political / administrative changes led to the closure of this
excellent facility. The observatory is well remembered for
the quality of its Directors, work done on minor planets and the
discovery of Proxima Centauri. Unfortunately it is also an excellent
example of the great affect the temporal political world (real
world) can have on astronomy.
[Errata: Moore refers to the Observatory as the 'Government Meteorological
Observatory'. This is incorrect, as it initially used to be called
the 'Transvaal Meteorological Department'.] [Personal communication
with Vermeulen]
-
Due to very close ties with Leiden Observatory in Holland, an agreement
of co-operation was reached in 1923 between the Union and Leiden
Observatories. Astronomers from each establishment were free
to make use of the facilities of the other. Since the night
skies in Transvaal were infinitely better than in Holland,
the flow of visiting astronomers was virtually one way. By 1929
Leiden Observatory decided to send a telescope and permanent staff
to Union Observatory. In 1938 the Rockefeller
twin telescope
was installed. With the growing light pollution problem in Johannesburg
it was decided to establish an outstation at Hartebeespoort.
This became known as the Leiden Southern Station. The facility
was administered by the Union (later Republic) Observatory.
Some of the Union observatory instruments were also moved to the
site. After the Republic Observatory closed down, the Leiden Southern
station continued to operate until it was sold to Pretoria Technikon.
For more, look Leiden
Southern Station.
- Light
pollution is an International problem, and in the 1960's three of
South Africa's Observatories were badly affected by light pollution.
They were the Cape
Observatory
(Cape Town), Radcliffe
Observatory
(Pretoria) and Republic Observatory (Johannesburg). By an agreement
between the South African CSIR and the British Science Research
Council (23 September 1970), a new facility was created away from
light pollution at Sutherland in the Karoo. The main instruments
from the Cape and Johannesburg Observatories were moved to the new
sight, and the Cape Observatory grounds became the headquarters
for the new South African Observatories (today the South African
Astronomical Observatory S.A.A.O.)
Radcliffe Observatory closed down, and its 74-inch telescope was
bought and moved to Sutherland.
The Johannesburg Observatory thus metamorphed into a new
entity, the S.A.A.O.,
which for reasons of convenience and space will be dealt with in
this website as a separate establishment.
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Historical
Index: Transvaal
Meteorological;
Transvaal;
Union;
Republic;
Amalgamation
Transvaal
Meteorological Department:
There was no Observatory in the Transvaal (previously a Republic
and later a province in South Africa) and the climate was superb.
On 29 October 1902, the South African Association for the Advancement
of Science petitioned the Government to establish an observatory
in or near Johannesburg, "for the collection and distribution
of meteorological observations throughout the Transvaal Colony".
Although astronomy was mentioned it was deemed that meteorological
aspects were more important. [Hers; Smits]
On 17 December 1902 the Assistant Colonial Secretary,
W H Moor advised that the project had been approved. He invited David
Gill from the Royal Observatory, Cape of Good Hope, to assist with
"securing the best man available as Director of the department".
Gill suggested R TA Innes as Director, a most interesting and capable
person. [Hers] (Look Astronomers: Innes)
The Transvaal Meteorological Department started operating
on 1 April 1903, but only officially came into existence on 17 January
1905. Lord Milner performed the opening ceremony.
Sir Herbert Baker, well-known South African architect,
designed the Observatory buildings. A house was also designed for
the Director, although this building was not built until 1910. [Hers]
Transvaal Observatory:
The name was changed in 1909 to the Transvaal Observatory.
[Personal communication with Vermeulen]
Meteorology was the first concern, and in the beginning,
astronomy played only a minor role, until S.A. became a Union
(1910). When the four states (Transvaal, Orange Free State, Cape and
Natal) merged into the Union of South Africa, their meteorological
services were combined into the Union Meteorological Department. Only
then could the Transvaal Observatory devote its time to astronomy.
(South Africa became a Union in 1910, but the name change to Union
Observatory only took place on 1 April 1912.) In 1907 the observatory
required its first telescope, and with Innes as a pro-astronomy Director,
the transition started towards astronomy.
The Observatory started with the unusual step of receiving
its first telescope on permanent loan basis from the Royal Observatory,
Cape of Good Hope. [Laing, p.4] ("The first astronomical instrument
erected on site was a 2 5/8-inch refractor, loaned to them by Dr.
Oskar Buckland, for use with the International Latitude Program"
[Smits, p.16.] More info needed)
Installation of a 9 inch telescope in 1907. In 1924 this telescope
was renamed the Reunert
Telescope.
[Smits]
Union Observatory:
The Observatory achieved its greatest fame during the time
that it was known as the Union Observatory (1912-1961). The
Directors were known as Union Astronomers, there were
four:
-Innes (1903-) 1912-1927
-Wood 1927-1941
-Van den Bos 1941-1956
-Finsen 1957-1961 (-1965)
The National Time Service for South Africa was stationed
at the Union Observatory. Jan Hers was put in charge of this department.
The old Meteorological Observatory was changed into a building
housing the clocks, as well as a seismometer. Later on the time
service was taken over by the CSIR, and after the Observatory closed,
it moved to other premises. [Smits]
1923: Agreement between Leiden and Union Observatories
whereby the facilities of the two institutions were made available
to each other. Since the night sky in the Transvaal is much better
than in Holland, most of the observers went from Holland to South
Africa. (This eventually led to the establishment of the Leiden
Southern Station.)
[Moore, p.107; Smits, p.20.]
1938: As part of the agreement between Union and Leiden Observatories,
the Union Government provided funds for building new facilities on
the terrain. This was to house the Rockefeller twin 16-inch
telescope, which belonged to Leiden, but administered by Union
Observatory.
Due to growing light pollution problems in Johannesburg,
Leiden decided to move to a new sight at Hartebeespoort. (Look
Leiden Southern Station.) The agreement was that Leiden Observers
operated Hartebeespoort, but it was an official outstation of the
Union Observatory. As such it came under Finsen's jurisdiction even
though it was virtually autonomous. (director was Walraven)
The Rockefeller twin and 10 inch Franklin - Adams telescopes were
moved to Hartebeespoort, even though the latter was the property of
the Union Observatory.
Republic Observatory:
In 1961, when South Africa became a Republic, the name was
changed to the Republic Observatory.
In 1964 it became part of the Council for Scientific and Industrial
Research (C.S.I.R.)
During 1962 - 64 a new office block with a library was
erected, with two domes on its roof. The Reunert- and Franklin
Adam twin telescopes were moved here. [Hers]
It was planned to erect a 74-inch telescope, and to this end
a mirror blank was ordered. This telescope never materialised. [Moore,
p.104; Smits] (This proposed 74 inch telescoped must not be confused
with the Radcliffe
74 inch
telescope)
The Lowell Observatory International Planetary Patrol started
in 1969. It ran for five years and was virtually the death blow to
the Observatory double star observing. Van der Bos and De Klerk
tried for a short while to share the Innes refractor with the
patrols program, but this was not successful and all double
star observation came to a halt. [Personal Communication with
G. Roberts who worked at the Observatory.]
Amalgamation:
The South African Government decided to amalgamate all
astronomical research into one body, which later became known as the
South African Astronomical Observatory
(S.A.A.O.).
This meant that the Republic Observatory had to close down. "The
first official rumblings came on 23 September 1970, when the
CSIR authorities announced that there had been agreement with the
British Science Research Council for the setting-up of the combined
South African Observatories; the Cape would be the headquarters and
Sutherland the outstation, 235 miles away across the Karoo, with Sir
Richard Woolley
as Director. This meant - as we have already noted - that the
main Cape telescopes would be moved to Sutherland, while the Radcliffe
Observatory at Pretoria would be dismantled altogether. But what about
Johannesburg?" [Copied from Moore, p. 104.]
This decision met with great opposition. "In an article
in Nature, dated 29 January 1971, van den Bos wrote as follows:
"The 26.5 inch refractor, with which the Observatory built up
its reputation in double star observation, is little, if at all, affected
by sky illumination or smog and the time-tested 'seeing' remains as
good as ever. There is no reason why it should not be usefully employed
at this work, at its present site, for many years to come .
. . Even if the observatory were moved en bloc to Sutherland
it would remain more than doubtful whether its largely astrometric
programmes could be continued there as successfully as in Johannesburg
or Hartebeespoort . . . The minor planet work would be seriously affected
by transfer from the clear winter skies of the High Veld, of that
there is no doubt, for it is in winter, when the ecliptic is
south of the equator, that the programme reaches its peak. Furthermore,
double-star work in particular is of an intensive, long-term
and personal nature."
Finsen was in full agreement that to close the Republic Observatory
would be a tragic miscalculation - and he was not alone in his
views. Yet in many ways the situation was curious; after Finsen's
official retirement as Director in 1965, no successor had been
appointed and although the programmes were being continued much
of the impetus had gone.
Other arguments also were advanced. Killing the Republic Observatory
would leave South Africa's largest city without any major astronomical
institute and presumably the Library, second only to that at the Cape,
would also go. Shifting the 26.5-inch itself would have been impracticable
even if it had fitted into the proposed programme for Sutherland -
which it did not. The situation was still fluid when the International
Astronomical Union, the controlling body of world astronomy, met in
1972 (it meets every three years; the 1972 venue was at Brighton,
in England). Misgivings were expressed by the Commission's dealing
with minor planets and with double stars. In the official report
published after the congress there was a comment from Dr P.
Herget, the famous American asteroid observer, to Dr F.J. Hewitt,
Vice-President of the CSIR in Pretoria: "There have been
more observations of more minor planets made at the Johannesburg
Observatory (and the annexe at Hartebeespoort) than at any other observatory
in the Southern Hemisphere in the whole history of astronomy. To destroy
this treasure-trove of observations will surely bring you lasting
and increasing condemnation as the years go on." And from
the Double Star Commission, it's President, Dr J. Dommanget, wrote,
"unfortunately, as a consequence of recent re-organizations of
the astronomical research in South Africa, practically all research
work in the double star field in the Southern Hemisphere has
been interrupted. It is imperative that immediate interest is paid
by some astronomers in double star research, and effective support
given to continuous observations".
It is probably true to say that the proposed demise of the Republic
Observatory caused arguments which were more heated than any in the
whole story of South African astronomy". [Copied from Moore
p. 105.]
In 1972 some of the instruments were moved to Sutherland.
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List
of Directors:
- Innes
R.T.A. He was the first Director (1905-1927) (Started working
in 1903, but the Observatory was not official until 1905 / 1905
- 1912 Government Meteorological Observatory / 1905 - 1912 Union
Observatory.) He was a remarkable person with a special interest
in double stars, which set the trend for the observatory to become
one of the best double star research institutions in the world.
With the name change to Union Observatory "it is said
that he [Innes] is the only man who has been transformed from a
meteorologist into an astronomer by an act of Parliament".
[Moore, pp. 98-99.]
- Wood
(1927-1941 Union Observatory) became Director upon Innes's retirement.
He was an avid comet, asteroid and minor planet hunter. Woods time,
as Director, was a period of consolidation.
- Van
den Bos
(1941-1956 Union Observatory) During his Directorship, quarts
clocks were installed and Johannesburg became the "Greenwich"
of South Africa.
- Finsen
(1957-1961 Union Observatory / 1961- 1965 Republic Observatory)
It was during his Directorship that the Republic Observatory became
part of the CSIR.
- Hers
J. (1965-1971 Republic Observatory) During his Directorship
the CSIR decided to close down and amalgamate the Observatories.
Astronomers:
- C.
Jackson (Union
Observatory 1928 - 1947) Asteroid Hunter. He became Director
at Yale - Columbia Southern Station, Johannesburg (1947 - 1951),
and Director at Yale - Columbia Southern Station, El Leoncito, Argentina.
(1963 - 1966)
- E.L.
Johnson:
asteroid hunters
- J.A.
Bruwer:
asteroid hunters
- H.
van Gent:
asteroid hunters
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Pictorial
Sources:
-(R21)
Bibliography:
-
Hers, J., The History of the Transvaal Observatory. 1, 2 & 3,
MNASSA, Vol. 46, Nos. 1 & 2 [Feb], 3 & 4 [April],
5 & 6 [June], 1987 (As well as personal communications
between Hers and Smits)
- Laing,
J.D. (ed.), The Royal Observatory at the Cape of Good Hope 1820
- 1970 Sesquicentennial Offerings, p. 4.
- Moore,
P. & Collins, P., Astronomy in Southern Africa, pp. 92 - 106.
(General Source)
- Smits,
P., A Brief History of Astronomy in Southern Africa. (Unpublished)
- The
South African Astronomical Observatory, pp. 16 - 18.
(Publication of SAAO, no author, no date)
Archival:
ARCHIVES
OF THE COUNCIL FOR SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH, PRETORIA [JHA8,
p. 219.]
- In 1968 the Royal Observatory in Cape Town ceased it's formal
existence and became part of a joint venture between the South African
CSIR and the Science Research Council, known as the South African
Astronomical Observatory. At the same time, the Republic (formerly
Union) Observatory in Johannesburg was closed down. The library
and some of the archival material from the latter were sent to the
SAAO, but most early papers were transferred to the Archives attached
to the CSIR Library in Pretoria.
-The bulk of the material is concerned with the establishment and
instruments of the Union Observatory. Gill's and Innes's correspondence
on these subjects include a letter to Boss on the selection of the
site, extensive exchanges with Turner and Grubb, and negotiations
with the firms of Grubb, Cooke, Repsold, Hilger and Chance, 1903-26.
There are notes by Innes on the construction of the 26-inch refractor.
-The siting and use of the Franklin Adams telescope is covered by
correspondence between Innes and Franklin Adams, H. E. Wood, T. Cooke
and various officials.
-Most of the correspondence between the Union Observatory and other
observatories is preserved. Correspondence with individuals has
been filed by country and by individual and include inter alia Spencer
Jones, Dyson, Comrie, Lockyer, Turner, Eddington, Crommelin, Phillips
in England; G. Struve, Hertzsprung, Kapteyn, de Sitter, Pannekoek,
E. Stromgren and many others in Europe; Boss, Schlesinger, Brown,
Hill, Shapley, Burnham and very many others in the USA.
Acknowledgement:
Many
thanks to Dirk Vermeulen who helped with the page on the Republic
Observatory.
Postscript:
In
Southern Africa there were two great depositories of astronomical
books. The one is the library of the Royal Observatory, Cape of Good
Hope, now the S.A.A.O. This library and it's contents still exists
with no obvious threat to it. The other great dipository was the Republic
Observatory. When the Observatory closed down various institutions
were contacted to find out if anyone would be interested in taking
over the books. All the institutions declined mainly due to financial
constraints. Some of the books went to Sutherland. It is unknown
what happened to the rest. Any information will be welcome. [Personal
communication with Jan Hers. 17/05/2003 CL]
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