BACKGROUND:
The Radcliffe observatory at Oxford University in the U.K. was founded in 1772, used until 1934, then sold and relocated to Pretoria in 1939 due to the viewing conditions, weather, and urban development.
The Radcliffe Observatory in Pretoria was a well-designed facility, manned by competent astronomers, operating the largest telescope at that time in South Africa. It was said that during its quarter-century of active life, the Radcliffe Observatory accomplished more than many other observatories have done in hundreds of years.
Eventually the Pretoria site also became untenable and the facility was combined with others into the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) in the 1970s.
ANECDOTE:
More or less at the same time the observatory was established, a suburb developed in the vicinity and many of the roads were appropriately named: Orion Street, Aries Street, Perseus Street etc.
Canopus, being the second brightest star in the entire night sky, also had to have a road named after it and erroneously, was named Canopsus Street.
Canopsus Street it remained, but after many years a distinguished astronomer pointed out the error to the local authority. Came the reply: "The name Canopsus is on all our maps, and has been officially accepted. It cannot be altered now. Can't you change the name of the star?"
In 1972, 33 years after the error, the road was renamed to Canopus Street.
TODAY:
The dome that housed the telescope has since been removed, but the observatory buildings remain and are currently in use by the army, and is therefore not accessible to the public. Although, at the published co-ordinates you will see the stone pillars of the original entrance to the observatory.
| FTF: |
Wormgeocash |
| 2TF: |
Woody Walker |
| 3TF: |
adysally |