Description: "Old" Astrometric Camera.

Used alternatively with the Astrographic and Victoria Telescopes at the Cape Observatory. This was the main camera used for the CPC 50 project. The camera was "blue corrected," with a 5 inch (12.7 cm) aperture and "80 inch (203.2 cm) focal length that is still attached to the Victoria Telescope" [Laing, p.30.]
Source:
-Laing, J.D. (ed.), The Royal Observatory at the Cape of Good Hope 1820 - 1970 Sesquicentennial Offerings, p.30.

Description: "New" Astrometric Camera.

 Located at the Cape Observatory and mounted on Multiple Refractor Mounting (MRM). It was one of the main instruments used for the SRS project. This camera was yellow corrected. A narrow pass - band yellow filter is used which has a Taylor - Hobson 8 inch f/10 four component lens.
Source:
-Laing, J.D. (ed.), The Royal Observatory at the Cape of Good Hope 1820 - 1970 Sesquicentennial Offerings, pp.30 - 31.

Description: Photometric Cameras.

 Located at the Cape Observatory and mounted on Multiple Refractor Mounting (MRM). It was one of the main instruments used for the SRS project. This is a pair of cameras, each having Taylor - Hobson 5 inch f/7 four component lenses, one corrected for blue light, the other for yellow.
Source:
 -Laing, J.D. (ed.), The Royal Observatory at the Cape of Good Hope 1820 - 1970 Sesquicentennial Offerings, p.31.

Description: Scmidt camera (f/3.9).

Used at the Cape Observatory, attached to the Elizabeth Telescope. Described as a pseudo-Scmidt camera covering a flat field of 2 x 2 degrees.
Source:
-Laing, J.D. (ed.), The Royal Observatory at the Cape of Good Hope 1820 - 1970 Sesquicentennial Offerings, p.31.

Description: Baker - Nunn:

This was a quick response camera / telescope unit, used at the Olifantsfontein Satelite Tracking Station to track and take photographs of Earth Satellites.
Source:
-Moore, P. & Collins, P., Astronomy in Southern Africa, p.143. (General Source)
-Smits P. A Brief History of Astronomy in Southern Africa. (Unpublished).

Description: SIRIUS Camera.

Used at Sutherland. (Simultaneous 3 colour Infrared Imager for Unbiased Surveys) functioning at J (1.25), H (1.65), and K (2.15) micron wavelengths. This camera is used on the 1.4-m alt - azimuth telescope dedicated to the Infrared Survey (IRSF).
Sources:
-MNASSA, Vol. 59, Nos. 11 & 12, December 2000.
-MNASSA, Vol. 60, Nos. 1 & 2, February 2001.
-Smits P. A Brief History of Astronomy in Southern Africa. (Unpublished).

Description: Mars Cameras

For more photographic material: Working Camera.
                                               Camera Today.

-In 1956 Mars was at a very favourable closest approach  to Earth. The International Mars Committee established at Lowell Observatory decided observe the event at Lamont-Hussey observatory as Mars is always better to observe in the south at time of closest approach. Earl Slipher came out to South Africa with two camera's specially made to photograph Mars. The one camera was longer than than the other. "In our observations two seperate cameras were employed, one adjusted for blue photographs amd magnifying about 200 times, and the other arranged for yellow orange ad red photographs magnifying about 260 times"
-Some of the best ever photographs of Mars before the age of satellites were taken with these two camera's. The telescope used was the 27 inch telescope
-After the closest approach the cameras were supposed to have been sent back to Lowell Observatory in U.S.A. For an unknown reason they were not returned but put into storage at the graveyard section of the Bloemfontein Municipality. In 1999 the "Parks Boards" heard about the cameras and thought them to be telescopes. They were taken to a viewpoint to be erected as public telescopes. The project wasn't successfull and this time the cameras were placed in storage behind the elephant cages at the local zoo. Here the astronomy society called "The Friends of Boyden" traced the cameras. [See Lost and Found]
-Note: MNASSA gives date of Mars perihelion as 1954 and Sky and telescope as 1956.
Location: Mangaung Fire Engin Museum.
Sources:
-Personal communication with Braam van Zyl of the "Friends of Boyden" [CdC]
-Dobbins, T.A. and Sheenan W.; Mars Mania 1956; Sky and Telescope, June 2003.
-Mars fever at Bloemfontein-1954, MNASSA, Vol. 62; nos7&8, pp.190-191.
 

"Longer" Mars Camera

Detail of the "longer" Mars camera. (Source: A.S.S.A. Symposium 2002: Paper 05 Penning: The Lamont-Hussey Observatory 1927- 1974)

 "Shorter" Mars Camera

Detail of the "shorter" Mars camera. (Source: A.S.S.A. Symposium 2002: Paper 05 Penning: The Lamont-Hussey Observatory 1927- 1974)

Description: Dallmeyer Photoheliograph

During Stone's time as director he went on a quick visit to England in 1875. While he was there he was persuaded to assist in an international effort to monitor sunspots. As a result he brought back with him a De La Rue type photoheliograph made by Dallmeyer. With this instrument he intended to take two photographs of the Sun everyday. It was installed in a wooden hut with an attached darkroom. After an enthusiastic start of Observations on 12 February 1876 interest slowly waned and only a very few photographs were actually taken.

Source:
-Warner, B., Astronomers at the Royal Observatory Cape of Good Hope, p.77.

Description: Finsen Eyepiece Interferometer.

For more photographic material.

Finsen invented the eyepiece interferometer. This instrument was his working prototype. (It used to be at the Astronomy Department of UNISA. [R04] The present whereabouts is unknown. [Personal Communication with Peter Smits; CL]
Source:
-Moore, P. & Collins, P., Astronomy in Southern Africa, p.. (General Source)
-(R04)

Description: Solar Eclipse viewing strip.

Sold at Van Rhynsdorp 1940
Source:
-(R11)

Description: Observatory Museum in Grahamstown.

Source:
-(R14) Observatory Museum acq. no. OL81 (9)(6)1870

Description: Four-prism Spectrograph

Used at the Cape Observatory on the Victoria Telescope between 1903 to 1926.
Source:
-Laing, J.D. (ed.), The Royal Observatory at the Cape of Good Hope 1820 - 1970 Sesquicentennial Offerings, pp.30.
 

Description: Browning Spectrograph

Edward Stone decided to try his hand at spectroscopy. He brought with him to the Cape Observatory his own spectroscope made by Browning. This instrument was fitted to the Mertz 7-inch telescope. However, the mounting on the telescope was too weak. He ordered a stronger mounting and an improved spectroscope. The stronger mounting arrived in 1874, but is unknown if the new spectroscope ever arrived at the Cape.
  As for the Browning spectroscope, Stone took this instrument along on an expedition to Namaqualand to observe the total solar eclipse of 16 April 1874. He mounted the spectroscope on a 4-inch telescope that he borrowed and made the first ever scientific spectroscopic observations in Southern Africa.

Source:
-Warner, B., Astronomers at the Royal Observatory Cape of Good Hope, p.76

Description: Evans Spectrograph

David Evans designed and built a Newtonian spectrograph for the Radcliffe telescope.

Source:
Evans Obituary: MNASSA Vol. 64, Nos 1 & 2, February 2005, p.7.

Description: Jena Grating Spectrograph

Used on the 60-inch telescope at Boyden.
Source:
-Moore, P. & Collins, P., Astronomy in Southern Africa, p.124.

Interesting Links:
Link to Objects Lost and / or Found.
Link to a short History of Astronomy in Southern Africa.
Link to a Time Line to see how Events on this page relates to the bigger time dimension.
Link to view the Achievements and other Interesting Aspects of Southern African Astronomers.
Link to the Telescope Manufacturers
Link to the Main Bibliography Section and more information about Sources.

Director Historical Section: Chris de Coning - siriusa@absamail.co.za

Webmaster: Christian Hettlage - webmaster@assa.saao.ac.za