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Reaching for the Stars
From 5 to 26 February 2012, the University of Cape Town
and the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO)
jointly organised and hosted the 34th International School
for Young Astronomers (ISYA), the first one held on the
African continent, under the auspices of the International
Astronomical Union (IAU).
T
his research school was aimed at MSc and PhD students from sub-Saharan Africa
and attracted 32 young astronomers from a wide range of African countries
(South Africa, Namibia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia).
The theme for 2012 was “Observational astronomy in the optical and infrared”.
Professor Anton le Roex, the Dean of the Faculty of Science, welcomed the participants
to the University of Cape Town on the first day of the school, followed by welcomes by
the Director of the SAAO (Professor Patricia Whitelock) and the IAU (represented by
Professor Michèle Gerbaldi).
Following a week of lectures on the UCT campus, the participants continued the school
at the SAAO, both in Cape Town and at the Sutherland station, where they spent one
week on the various telescopes, training in aspects of observational astronomy. The
observational projects were the backbone of the school, and were highly valued by the
participants.
Observations by one of the lecturers (Professor Michel Dennefeld) and the IYSA students
of a supernova candidate PSN J23255963-8154333 confirmed the nature of this object
using the SAAO 1.9 metre telescope and spectrograph. This result was published
during the school as an IAU Telegram (CBET 3028) and included the 13 IYSA students as
co-authors.
The 2012 IAU
International School for
Young Astronomers