14 August 2000
The groundbreaking ceremony for the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) will be held in Sutherland in the Northern Cape on 1 September 2000.
The ceremony, which President Thabo Mbeki has been invited to officiate, will be attended by local guests and representatives of South Africa's seven international partners, including Germany, Poland, the USA, the UK and New Zealand.
SALT is a 10-m class telescope for optical/ infrared astronomy. It will be based on the design of the Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET), recently completed at McDonald Observatory, Fort Davis, Texas. SALT will give South Africa and its partners access to the single most powerful optical/infra-red telescope in the Southern Hemisphere. The scientific scope of SALT will extend from searching for planets around neighbouring stars to the study of the most distant objects in the Universe. This multi-million rand project is expected to be completed within the next five years.
Representatives of the Media are invited to attend this event, a milestone in the construction of SALT, Africa's giant eye to the Universe.
DATE: FRIDAY 1 SEPTEMBER 2000
TIME: 12:00 TO 15:00
VENUE: THE SAAO, SUTHERLAND, NORTHERN CAPE
The South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), is situated 16 km outside the town of Sutherland in the Province of the Northern Cape, 370km (an approximate four hours' drive) from Cape Town.
Two programmes, in which the President is expected to participate, have been arranged for the day : In the town of Sutherland the community will celebrate the signing of a twinning agreement between the towns of Sutherland (where SALT will be situated) and Fort Davis in Texas, USA, where the Hobby Eberly Telescope (HET) is situated. The signing ceremony will take place on the morning of 1 September 2000 in Sutherland. The Premier of the Northern Cape will officiate.
The groundbreaking ceremony will take place at the SAAO site, outside Sutherland, where the President will deliver the keynote address.
TRAVEL & ACCOMMODATION
For representatives of the Media not making
use of their own transport, arrangements will be made to be
transported to Sutherland and back, by bus : - Busses, transporting
the Media and VIP guests, will leave the SAAO in Cape Town at 06:00
on 1 September 2000 and will return after the function has ended.
The SAAO is situated in Observatory Road, Cape Town. (off Liesbeeck
Park Road and opposite the Hartleyvale Sports Stadium).
- A bus to transport representatives of the Media to Sutherland a day prior to the event, will leave the SAAO in Cape Town at 10:00 on 31 August.
This bus will return to Cape Town straight after the proceedings the next day.
Please book your place on the media bus with any of the contact persons below.
Media representatives have to arrange for their own accommodation in Sutherland on Thursday evening. The tourism bureau at Sutherland will be able to assist. They can be contacted at + 27 23 571-1257.
MEDIA INFORMATION SESSION & SUPPORT
A media information session on
the SALT project will be arranged for media representatives who
will travel on the media bus on 31 August. It will take place at
the SAAO site near Sutherland, between 15:00 and 17:00 on Thursday
31 August. Conducted by astronomers on the site, it will, with the
aid of a scale model of the SALT, provide an opportunity to the
Media to familiarise themselves with the project, as well as to
view the site for photo/video opportunities.
Media kits will also be made available. There will be a "media room" on the site with email, telephone and fax facilities.
CONTACT DETAILS
Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology:
Frans Basson : Tel. (012) 337 8283
Cell. : 082 77 22461
frans@ dacst5.pwv.gov.za
Fidel Hadebe : Tel. (012) 3378313
Cell. : 083 447 6020
National Research Foundation (NRF):
Hilda van Rooyen / Marina Joubert : Tel 012-481-4132 / -4055
email: hilda@nrf.ac.za
marina@nrf.ac.za
ISSUED BY GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION SYSTEM ON BEHALF OF ARTS, CULTURE, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY