.     Years     Events to Commemorate
.     Ago

• 5           South Africa wins the bid to host a significant part of the SKA project. (2012)
• 10         Astronomy Geographic Advantage Act promulgated (2007)
• 25         R.S. Stobie appointed Director of SAAO (1992)
• 30         Lost 14-foot Herschel mirror found at Cape Observatory (1987)
• 30         Supernova 1987A visible (1987)
• 45         20-inch telescope moved from Republic Observatory to Sutherland (1972)
• 45         South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) founded (1972)
• 55         Frank Holden appointed Directory of the Lamont-Hussey Observatory (1962)
• 60         16-inch Rockefeller Twin Telescope moved from Union Observatory to Hartebeesthoek (1957)
• 60          36-inch Flux Collector installed at Hartebeesthoek (1957)
• 60          W.S. Finsen appointed Director of Union Observatory (1957)
• 70          Cyril Jackson appointed Director of Yale Observatory’s Southern Station (1947)
• 80          Radcliffe Observatory opens. (1937)
• 90          Boyden Observatory moves from Arequipa (Peru) to Bloemfontein (1927)
• 90          J.S. Paraskevopoulos appointed Director of Boyden Observatory (1927)
• 95          Cape and Johannesburg Astronomical Societies amalgamate to form ASSA (1922)
• 95          South Africa joins the IAU (1922)
• 100        Mt. Wilson 100-inch reflector completed (1917)
• 125        Astrophysical Journal founded by George Ellery Hale (1892)
• 135       William Finlay discovers the “Great Comet of 1882” (1882 Sept 08). David Gill’s photographs of comet heralds the use of astrophotography for astrometry. (1882)
• 135       Natal Observatory established; Edmund Nevill appointed as Director (1882)
• 250       Nautical Almanac founded by Nevil Maskelyne (1767)
• 350       Paris Observatory founded (1667)