Year-End Festival 2009 in Sutherland
In the last week of the International Year of Astronomy 2009, there will be lots of astronomy events in Sutherland. So check out the programme below!
Daily Programme: 26 - 30 December 2009
At the SAAO
09:00 to 16:00
Daily every-hour-on-the-hour “basic” tours of the SAAO Visitor Centre and SALT (if you’re in Sutherland you will see SALT!). Tours to the 1.9m Radcliffe telescope may be conducted depending on the demand. No bookings required. A small entrance fee of R20 will be charged per person (children under 12 go free) to help cover the costs of the event – this includes access to the visitor centre, telescopes and the astronomy workshop.
14:00 to 16:00
For the more interested visitor, there will be an “Essential Astronomy” workshop and Question & Answer session every afternoon. This 2-hour presentation is aimed at absolutely everyone, no matter what your knowledge or background, and is guaranteed to change your perspective of the universe. This will also be an opportunity to ask a technical person (e.g. astronomer, engineer, scientist) more detailed questions that you may have come up with during the basic tours.
20:30 to 22:00 and 22:30 to 00:00
Two stargazing sessions will be held per night using the visitor telescopes with a maximum of 40 people per session. These stargazing sessions are FREE but it is essential to sign up at the SAAO Visitor Centre during the week. Registers will be available from 08:00 to 16:00 daily. First come, first served!
Note that at these SAAO stargazing sessions it is not possible to visit the research telescopes at night, especially not SALT!
In the town of Sutherland...
Lots of activities are being planned in town for both the community and visitors, including:
- Cultural performances by Sutherland’s Rieldans Group
- Live Band with musicians from Sutherland
- Arts and Crafts Market
- Donkey car rides
- DVD sessions for youth
- Medley around Sutherland
- Road show / Parade
- Oujaarsdag Street Bash!
- HIV awareness campaign
- Alcohol awareness campaign
- Kite flying
- Youth sports activities, hikes and “stay awake” session
- Amateur astronomers star party
- Sheep shearing (provided we can find enough “unsheared” sheep)
- Fundraising campaign donation boxes (money goes into feeding scheme)
New Year’s Eve Programme: 31 December 2009
At the SAAO
09:00 to 17:00
Hourly or half-hourly (depending on demand) “basic” tours of the SAAO Visitor Centre, SALT and 1.9m telescopes.
12:00 to 14:00
The last “Essential Astronomy” presentation and Question and Answer session for 2009!
17:00 to 19:00
Get ready for the sunset/moonrise: public will be allowed to take their cars up to the observing plateau and park in demarcated areas. Please bring your own picnics/refreshments. Strictly no alcohol or fires allowed on the observing plateau!
19:00 to 19:50
Enjoy the last sunset of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (sun sets at 19:47) from the observing plateau of biggest observatory on the continent! Remember, public are not normally allowed on the plateau at sunset so don’t miss this unique opportunity!
Bring your cameras - the telescope domes are very photogenic, especially at sunset!
19:50
Turn opposite to the sunset and watch the full moon rise (starts to rise at 19:43) over the vast Karoo landscape. This is also the ONLY “blue moon” of 2009 – so make sure you grab this once-in-a-blue-moon opportunity!
20:30 to 21:00
Everyone leaves the observatory and heads back into Sutherland. SAAO staff and telescopes will be available on the open field along the main street of Sutherland (just opposite Kamamas Coffee Shop).
In the town of Sutherland...
18:00 till late
Bring-and-braai at the Kamamas coffee shop. Main street will be closed off for a massive street star party! SAAO will have a number of portable telescopes (6” Dobs) available. Amateur astronomers are welcome to bring their telescopes and join the party!
21:23
Observe the partial lunar eclipse from the open field opposite Kamamas in Sutherland (max eclipse at 21:23).
22:00 until Midnight!
Sutherland Star Party! Music, bring-and-braai, telescopes!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Disclaimers
Clouds: The SAAO cannot accept responsibility if it is a cloudy night. As much as we’d like it to be, the weather is definitely beyond our control.
Injury: Visitors enter at own risk and SAAO will not be liable for any injuries incurred during the activities on SAAO grounds.