!Ae!Hai Kalahari Heritage Park Lapalala Wilderness Nature Reserve BiSON Elizabeth 1.0m Telescope Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Lesedi Telescope MASTER-SAAO MeerKAT Radio Telescope MONET South Radcliffe 1.9m Telescope SKA-Mid SuperWASP-South Boyden Observatory South African Astronomical Observatory Southern African Large Telescope
Dark sky place Research or private observatory Observatory open to the public

Observatories · South Africa

Observatories in South Africa

The list has 14 observatories in South Africa; 3 of them welcome the public for viewing nights, tours or a visitor center. Each has its own page with what a visit is like, the telescopes and how dark its sky is.

South Africa on the list

Observatories
14
Open to the public
3
Astronomy clubs
5
Dark sky places
2

Highest: South African Astronomical Observatory, 1,798 m (5,900 ft)

3 observatories in South Africa open to the public

ObservatoryWhereWhat you can doBortle
Boyden ObservatoryBloemfontein (Maselspoort)Monthly public open evenings with talk and telescope viewing, tickets via Computicket; school visits-
South African Astronomical ObservatorySutherlandSutherland Visitor Centre: daily daytime tours and evening stargazing tours several nights a week; booking advised-
Southern African Large TelescopeSutherlandSAAO visitor center day tours include SALT, Mon-Sat 10:30 and 2:30 pm; night tours 4 per week; booking essential-

Public nights usually start at dusk with a short talk and a turn at the eyepiece; many need tickets and cancel for clouds, so check each observatory's site on the day.

Research and private observatories in South Africa

ObservatoryWhereTelescopesPart of
BiSONSutherlandrobotic solarSouth African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO)
Elizabeth 1.0m TelescopeSutherland1.0mSouth African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO)
Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy ObservatoryHartebeesthoek
Las Cumbres Observatory Global TelescopeSutherland1mSouth African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO)
Lesedi TelescopeSutherland1mSouth African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO)
MASTER-SAAOSutherland2 x 40cm roboticSouth African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO)
MeerKAT Radio TelescopeCarnarvon64 x 3.5m radio dishes
MONET SouthSutherland1.2mSouth African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO)
Radcliffe 1.9m TelescopeSutherland1.9mSouth African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO)
SKA-MidKaroo133 x 12m
SuperWASP-SouthSutherland8 x 0.1m roboticSouth African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO)

These sites do not run regular public viewing, or their access is not confirmed. Some hold a yearly open house; each page links to the official site.

Astronomy clubs and dark sky places in South Africa

Clubs bring telescopes to public star parties and welcome visitors at their meetings. See the 5 astronomy clubs in South Africa.

Observatories in other countries