South African Astronomical Observatory

Welcome to the Southern sky

The latest in South African astronomy

DSTI Launches Remote Operations and Visitors Centres at NRF-SAAO As part of ongoing efforts to bring science and research closer to communities, the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) launched the Remote Operations Centre and the Visitors Centre at the South African Astronomical Observatory......

Royal Visit Highlights: HRH The Princess Royal at the SAAO Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal visited the South African Astronomical Observatory (NRF-SAAO) on 22 January 2025, as part of her engagements in South Africa. During her visit, she was warmly received by SAAO’s Managing......

Prospective MSc and PhD students can join astronomers at the South African Astronomical Observatory to explore the universe. Details of how to apply for bursaries and of projects on offer are described on the projects page If you are an interested student, don’t hesitate to......

The National Research Foundation (NRF) and the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) recently demonstrated significant advancements in their observational capabilities, highlighted by the swift and successful study of an X-ray transient event. A new paper, led by Stephen B. Potter, underscores the collaborative efforts and......

more news

Latest Video

Sutherland in Virtual Reality

Experience our world-class telescopes in
the Karoo in fully immersive 3D

Explore Now

Latest events

Loading Events

Upcoming Events

Events Search and Views Navigation

List of Events

NRF|SAAO Cape Town Open Night

July 26 @ 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Join us for Open Nights at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) in Cape Town, held on the second and fourth Saturday of every month. Each evening begins with an engaging presentation on astronomy or a related field of science, followed by a guided tour…

+ Export Events