insert_link Africa Astronomy ‘Olympics’ is being hosted in Africa for the first time: 4 big talking points The South African Astronomical Observatory in Sutherland, in the country’s Northern Cape province. IAU General Assembly 2024 By James Okwe Chibueze, University of South Africa Cutting-edge telescopes, gravitational waves, black holes and our solar system’s central star, the Sun, are just a few of the topics that will be on the table in Cape Town, South Africa, for an event that’s a scientific version of the Olympic Games – […] todayAugust 6, 2024 31
Science & Technology We saw one of the most powerful magnets in the Universe come to life – and our theories can’t quite explain it Artist’s impression of a magnetar. Carl Knox, OzGrav/Swinburne University of Technology Marcus Lower, CSIRO; Gregory Desvignes, Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, and Patrick Weltevrede, University of Manchester After a decade of silence, one of the most powerful magnets in the universe suddenly burst back to life in late 2018. The reawakening of this “magnetar”, a city-sized star named XTE J1810-197 born from a supernova explosion, was an incredibly violent […] todayApril 9, 2024 20
insert_link Entertainment Why does a leap year have 366 days? Leap Day is coming. Marvin Samuel Tolentino Pineda/iStock, via Getty images Bhagya Subrayan, Purdue University Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com. Why does a leap year have 366 days? Does the Earth move slower every four years? – Aarush, age 8, Milpitas, California You may be used to hearing that it […] todayFebruary 21, 2024 11
insert_link Namibia Africa Millimetre Telescope project wins outreach medal The mobile planetarium team of the Africa Millimetre Telescope project has been honoured by the UK’s Royal Astronomical Society with the 2024 Annie Maunder Medal for Outreach. The planetarium is used to bring immersive and interactive astronomy engagement to a diverse spectrum of the Namibian public and help bridge the gap between scientists, the public, and top-level government. Zandré Duvenhage the Project Coordinator for the Mobile Planetarium. The first millimeter-wave […] todayJanuary 16, 2024 55
insert_link Opinion Pieces 20 years ago South Africa had 40 qualified astronomers – all white. How it’s opened space science and developed skills since then Southern African Large Telescope. SAAO, Author provided Patricia Ann Whitelock, South African Astronomical Observatory; Daniel Cunnama, South African Astronomical Observatory, and Rosalind Skelton, National Research Foundation South African astronomy started an important journey two decades ago, when an initiative to attract and train future scientists in the field welcomed its first group of students under the National Astrophysics and Space Science Programme. World class facilities have been established during this […] todayJanuary 15, 2024 14
