SAAO - South African Astronomical Observatory

SAAO In-service Training

The South African Astronomical Observatory operates optical telescopes near Sutherland in the Karoo. The electronics workshop is responsible for the design, construction and testing of new control systems and instrumentation and the maintenance of all the electronics on the Sutherland site.

The work done in the electronics workshop involves the following:

  • Digital electronics
  • Microcontrollers - PIC 16C84
  • Analog electronics
  • Stepper motor drive circuits
  • DC servo motor systems
  • Encoders - absolute and incremental
  • Computer programming - C'
  • Cryogenic CCD camera systems

The SAAO offers in-service training to students from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) in periods of six months.