SA astronomy has a rich history and a promising future
The South African Astronomical Observatory in Cape Town turned 200 last year and it is the oldest permanent observatory in the Southern Hemisphere. This observatory is a fundamental part of South Africa’s long history of astronomical research, which began when French academic Nicolas-Louis de La Caille visited Cape Town from 1751 to 1753. He undertook a careful examination of every square degree of the southern sky. This resulted in the first comprehensive sky survey ever made, in either hemisphere.
The Royal Observatory, Cape Town of Good Hope (today the South African Astronomical Observatory) was established
