South African Astronomical Observatory
Fee required
This historic observatory was established in 1820 to keep shipwrecks from littering the Cape of Good Hope by mapping southern stars.

šŸ“œ Historic observatory, established 1820 to aid stellar navigation.
šŸ” Main campus in Cape Town, major telescopes in Sutherland.

Why Go

šŸŒŒ Explore astronomy history and modern research
šŸ”­ Stargazing opportunities with historic telescopes
šŸ›ļø Visit a National Heritage Site with museum and library

Why Avoid

āš ļø Cape Town campus may have light pollution for deep sky viewing

Tips

šŸ—“ļø Open Nights are on the second and fourth Saturday of every month at 8pm.
šŸŽŸļø Book tours in advance, no on-site payments.

Cost

šŸ’° R50 per person for Open Nights, children under 6 free.

Hours

šŸ•’ Open Nights: second and fourth Saturday of every month, 8pm - 10pm.

šŸ…æļø Parking

Available at Observatory Road, check local options.

Last updated 5 days ago

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