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NRF|SAAO Cape Town Open Night
July 12 @ 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Join us for Open Nights at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) in Cape Town, held on the second and fourth Saturday of every month.
Each evening begins with an engaging presentation on astronomy or a related field of science, followed by a guided tour of the Observatory’s rich history—including our library, museum, and the 120-year-old McClean Telescope.
Weather permitting, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy stargazing through the McClean and additional smaller telescopes.
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- Gates open at 7:30 PM.
- Free entry for children aged 6 and under.
Please email cptbookings@saao.ac.za or call +27 21 447 0025 if you have any queries regarding bookings.
Speaker: Dr Itumeleng Monageng
Dr Itumeleng Monageng holds a Senior Lecturer position jointly at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO). He completed his PhD in 2018 at UCT, focusing on multiwavelength studies of gamma-ray binary stars. His research interests include understanding the physical properties of various classes of astrophysical transients, utilizing data from telescopes such as the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) and MeerKAT. Outside of academia, Dr. Monageng enjoys sports such as soccer, cricket, and tennis.
Abstract: “Stellar evolution and energetic processes in the universe”
Stars are essential for understanding structures at all scales in the universe, from distant galaxies to planets in our solar system, and even to the emergence of life on Earth. Heavy elements like carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen are produced in the cores of stars during the nuclear fusion process. These elements are then ejected into space through stellar winds and powerful explosions. In this talk, I will discuss the key details of the evolutionary stages of stars, from their birth to their death. I will also cover close binary star systems, where significant interactions between the stars result in the transfer of mass, which affects their evolutionary paths.