Stargazers enjoy an evening out in nature
Community members from all over Roodepoort came together to look at the stars.
As a child, many of us have wished upon a star.
On Saturday, August 6, visitors to the Kloofendal Nature Reserve were invited to look at the sky through various telescopes ranging in size and depth as part of a Stargazing in the Kloof event hosted by Friends of Kloofendal and the West Rand Astronomy Club.
Although the night sky was overcast, this did not stop the more than 300 visitors from enjoying the evening under the open sky. Guest speaker Sheldon Herbst gave the visitors a brief lesson on astronomy, deep-space photography and how amateur astronomers bridge the gap between astronomy and the community.
He also stated that some of the most remarkable discoveries in the field have been made by amateur or hobby astronomers, mentioning Dale’s Spot on Jupiter which has been discussed in many academic articles.
“What’s even more remarkable about Dale’s Spot is that Dale is a South African,” explained Herbst.
The night left the crowd motivated and excited about the future of astronomy in South Africa, and the world.
