of the photometer attatched to the 0.75-m telescope
in preparation for his night-time observations.
My participation at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) Summer School was under the aegis of the Working Group in Space Sciences in Africa (WGSSA) and funded by the SAAO. The visit lasted from 5th January to 30th January 1998. I considered myself very lucky being among the accepted ten out of a large number of applicants.
Upon arrival I was met at the airport by Mrs. Linda Tobin. Some other participants had also just arrived and we were all taken to the Observatory where we were accomodated. The following day, I was attached to Dr. Peter Martinez as my project supervisor and was given access to library and computing facilities which could be used until late hours. I made the acquaintance of several staff members and postgraduate students.
Being a Summer School, the programme did not have any set terms of reference, but in my view, the format was very successful. The Summer School comprised three major activities namely, lectures, project work and observing. The lectures were mostly in the morning while afternoons were devoted to project work and additional colloquia. The lectures covered Astronomy as broadly as possible within the frame work of the Summer School. I appreciated the teaching which not only brought up important aspects of Astrophysics but extended also to cognitive sciences. Personally I thought that some of the lectures, like those on cosmology, were too advanced and I would have liked more lectures on some specialized topics. On the whole the lectures were balanced and they were perhaps as pedagogical as time would allow.
The project work absorbed me the most during the first part of the Summer School. My project was on an algorithm to get star centroids from ccd data and call a program to match these points with a stored field on the template. The called program is based on an algorithm for finding common sub-constellations in two constellations, a constellation being a set of points on a two dimensional plane. I found this algorithm's use of the geometric concepts of similar triangles to effect invariance in rotation, scaling and translation, very clever indeed. I had to do all the programing in C++. The system is eventually to be used in guiding an automatic telescope built at SAAO.
Amidst all this activity, Dr Martinez and Mrs. Martinez were kind enough to take me on two fascinating trips around Cape Town. I saw the major tourist attractions, most of which remain etched on my memory. Most notable was the picturesque Boulders Beach which is a tourist trap with an asortment of memorabilia on display. I only succumbed to a hand made mug which I keep in my office. I also visited the Planeterium but I had seen so many new things by then that the only suprise was my lack of it. Prof Tony Fairall from the University of Cape Town made an execellent presentantation that night.
Reserving the best until last, I think the most rewarding evenings of the Summer School were spent at Sutherland where the SAAO telescopes are located. After the five hour drive from Cape Town, through semi arid country, I could hardly grasp a thing during the orientation. The following evening I was awed by the dome silhouettes that my eyes beheld. It was then that the spirit of the event greeted my senses. I was to work with Dr. Fransic Podmore a Summer School Student from the University of Zimbabwe. Our goal was to obtain time-series photometric data for precision asteroseismology on the main-sequence star CD-24 7599 (XXPyx), using a 0.75m telescope. This was part of the Delta Scuti Network which is a large multisite campaign to investigate the interior structure of a normal main-sequence star other than the Sun, for the first time. We were the only ones in the whole world observing the star at that particular time so the data we got were very important and we had to do this as best we could. I think the most intruiging thing for a physicist is to be involved, however modestly, in the creation of knowledge.
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of the photometer attatched to the 0.75-m telescope in preparation for his night-time observations. |
At the hostels, computational time on the machines was limited. I did, however, manage some work during the leaner periods, supplementing the benefit I received from observing with important aspects of data reduction and analysis.
Sutherland is in the heart of the Great Karroo. Aside from its striking black skies and terrestrial splendour, it has spectacular sunsets. When the curtain has set on the daytime spectacle you are greeted by a great celestial display by night. Perhaps the most spectacular vista from such a southern vantage point is the Milky Way galactic bulge near the zenith.
Our observing was coming to an end and so was the Summer School. Donned in astronomical garb I had my last glance at the clear skys. We returned to Cape Town and all participants were issued with a questionaire for follow-up evaluation.
The picture emerging in my mind is that, to some extent, astronomy is about emotion and the involvement of the imagination, which is probably why it is unsurpassed in attracting young people to studying science. Although I've lived among academics for nearly half my life, it was uplifting to be among astronomers because I have always viewed their profession with a fair amount of fascination. I learned so much about the profession from the unwritten dress code to the grand views of the the universe. People attending future Summer Schools are sure to return as avid amateur astronomers. They should heed the warning that star constallations are addictive. Personally, I can not walk at night without looking up, if only for the Pleiades.
An Astronomical Society, of which I am current secretary, was recently formed to encourage institutions and groups to take up basic space science studies and research in Zambia. Ours is a grand vision but we have to grapple with the realities of a shrunken economy. This not with standing, I would be willing to wager that there aren't too many Asronomical Societies in Africa, having it much easier as the general constraints hold true everywhere. The benefits of teaching Astronomy are however being re-emphasized by several international initiatives and this mixed with local enthusiasim should produce results no worse than those of our established counterparts in the region.
In the Society we will strive to do innovative though not leading-edge work. Through lunar and planetary viewing we hope to give an enjoyable introduction to sky map reading for novices as a convenient abridged reference while we look to the future.
The Society aims to print an almanac of Lusaka in advance of every year. A major event is the forthcoming eclipse over Kariba. Our counterparts in Zimbabwe are preparing for this and we aim to do the same.
We sencerely hope the SAAO will be responsive to requests for collaboration and scientific advice coming from the region.
Without reserve, the SAAO Summer School is the best short course on Astronomical Research in this region. I would like to thank the SAAO for funding my trip and the WGSSA for facilitating it. I am very grateful to Dr. Peter Martinez and Mrs. Martinez for making my stay very enjoyable. Dr. Martinez, of course did more than just that; he threw me into the deep end a couple of times. I've never had to learn so much in so short a space of time and I appreciate it. Many members of staff were very helpful. To mind come, Mrs. Linda Tobin and Dr. Tom Evans Lloyd who were there to see to things. I also thank other Summer School participants for being such a great lot.
lastly, I feel it timely to thank my department for letting me attend the Summer School and for supporting the Society as we set the stage for the coming century.
