Contact Artefacts please if you have any comments or more information regarding this record.	Menu Home Upfront Now Up Books Towns Structures People Firms Lexicon		Johannesburg Meteorological Observatory Observatory, Johannesburg, Gauteng PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT: Architect

Date: 1904 Type: Observatory Status: Extant   Click to view map Coordinates: 26°11'03.16" S 28°04'28.94" E Alt: 1788m

The Observatory was founded as the Transvaal Meteorological Department, and was initially meant to be used to watch weather patterns. Astronomer Dr Robert Innes moved from Cape Town to become the first director of the centre. It was officially opened in 1905 and the first telescope was installed in 1906. The Observatory sits on a hill in the suburb of the same name. The land was owned by the Bezuidenhout family before they gave it to the government. South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA) acquired the Johannesburg Observatory in 2003 and has since refurbished the site to accommodate a multifaceted interactive science awareness facility with a specific focus on astronomy and engineering. The observatory is now open to teachers, learners and members of the public in general. The centre also organizes night tours. (South African History Online, accessed 2023 03 03) See also Observatory - later the Union Weather Station. See also Cathy Munro's review of the book Living Amongst the Stars at the Johannesburg Observatory on The Heritage Portal. Transcription of wording on plaques: Top left Thomas J A Henderson FRSE. FRS. FRAS 28 December 1798 - 23 November 1844 Astronomer Royal at the Cape Observatory was the first person to measure the distance to the start using parallax ca 1834 but didn't publish his result till 1839 Robert Thorburn Ayton Innes 10 November 1861 - 13 March 1933 was the founder and director of the Union Observatory. Best known for his discovery of Proxima Centauri, as the nearest star to our Sun in October 1915 Top right This shows the relative size of the Sun compared to Proxima At this scale, the two stars would actually be separated by the distance from this plaque to it's counterpart at the Observatory in Cape Town Bottom This Stellar Highway was designed by Case Rijsdijk, ASSA, to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the discovery of Proxima Centauri, 8 October, 2015. Kindly hosted by the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement; SAASTA. Books that reference Johannesburg Meteorological Observatory Vermeulen, Dirk J . 2006. Living amongst the stars at the Johannesburg Observatory. Johannesburg: Chris van Rensburg Publications. pg All