NRF|SAAO Cape Town Open Night
July 26 @ 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 historic 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 Abhisek Mohapatra
Photo Credit: Lerato Maduna
Dr Abhisek Mohapatra is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Cape Town, working with the LADUMA deep HI survey using the MeerKAT radio telescope. His research focuses on understanding how galaxies evolve by studying the neutral hydrogen gas that fuels star formation over cosmic time. Originally from India, he completed his PhD at NIT Rourkela and IUCAA, specialising in the study of circumgalactic gas around galaxies.
Abstract:
Have you ever wondered what lies beyond what our eyes can see in the Universe? In this talk, we will journey into the hidden parts of the cosmos. While stars and galaxies light up the night sky, they make up only a tiny fraction of what truly exists. Much of the detectable Universe is filled with “ordinary” matter spread thinly between galaxies and vast clouds of invisible hydrogen gas, the essential raw material for forming new stars. We will explore how astronomers use powerful telescopes like MeerKAT and JWST to uncover this hidden matter and reveal the deep history of galaxies stretching back billions of years. Join us to discover how scientists are gradually “unblurring” the Universe, uncovering cosmic secrets that remain invisible to the naked eye.