NRF|SAAO Cape Town Open Night
February 8 @ 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
The NRF|SAAO Open Nights in Cape Town take place on the second and fourth Saturday of every month.
All Open Nights will start with a presentation on topics of astronomy or related science fields. Visitors will then be given an introduction to the history of the observatory, library, museum, and the 120 year-old McClean telescope. If the weather permits, stargazing will take place with McClean and smaller telescopes.
Please note that guests are only allowed entry into our premises from 7:30pm.
Free entry for kids aged 6 & under.
Please email cptbookings@saao.ac.za or call +27 21 447 0025 if you have any queries regarding bookings.
Speaker: Damien Matthew
Damien is a master’s student in astrophysics at UCT, working on the LADUMA survey with the MeerKAT telescope. He holds a BSc in physics and astrophysics from UCT and completed his honours through the National Astrophysics and Space Science Programme (NASSP). Beyond research, he enjoys football, playing piano, and climbing.
Abstract: Birth and Death in the Cosmos: How Stars Shape the Universe
The birth and death of stars are not just celestial events – they are the very processes that make life possible. In this talk, we’ll explore the cosmic cycle of creation and destruction, from the dense gas clouds where stars are born to the spectacular supernovae and black holes that mark their demise. We’ll also connect this stellar life cycle to the grander story of galaxy evolution, including how Damien’s research on star-forming active galactic nuclei (AGN) helps us understand the intricate dance between star formation and black hole growth across cosmic time.