History of Astronomy in South Africa: The Late Modern Period

A Focus Meeting to be held at the XXXII IAU General Assembly in Cape Town, South Africa, on August 7-8, 2024

Meeting Poster

Poster image:
Daylight View over Table Bay Showing the Great Comet of 1843

Collection Royal Museums Greenwich, Creative Commons CC0 License

Painting by the astronomer Charles Piazzi Smyth (1819-1896), reflecting the themes of the Focus Meeting, viz.

1. Observing the sky: specific astronomical events
2. Taking the measure of Africa: the role of Table Mountain in land surveys
3. The shape of of the Earth: measuring the length of meridian arcs
4. Taking the measure of Heaven: the quest for stellar parallax
5. The hardships of navigation, service observing, remote education, etc.