"HartRAO"
Posted by: 
LeonW
S 25° 53.293 E 027° 42.800
35J E 571457 N 7136500
Hartbeeshoek Radio Astronomy Observatory.
Waymark Code: WM1W80
Location: Gauteng, South Africa
Date Posted: 07/19/2007
Views: 42
HARTBEESHOEK RADIO ASTRONOMY OBSERVATORY (HARTBEESHOEK)
The Observatory began as Deep Space Station 51, built in 1961 by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States of America. The station tracked many unmanned US space probes. These included the Ranger,Surveyor and Lunar Orbiter spacecraft which landed on the Moon or mapped it from orbit, the Mariner missions which explored the planets Venus and Mars and the Pioneers which measured the Sun's winds.
The station was handed over to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in 1975 and was converted to a radio astronomy observatory.
(Excerpt from: SCIENCE IN AFRICA AT THE DAWN OF THE 21st CENTURY;
South Africa, Part 6
By J. Mouton et al.)
The coordinates are for the turn-off to HartRAO and the
Visitors Centre.
Observatory Purpose: Research
Optical / Infrared Telescopes?: No
Radio Telescopes?: Yes
Open to the Public?: Yes
Public Viewing Allowed?: Yes
Active Observatory?: Active
Number of Telescopes or Antennas: 16 or more
Site URL: [Web Link]
Year Dedicated or Opened: 1961
Solar Telescopes?: Not listed
Is this a Club Observatory?: Not listed
Altitude (meters): Not Listed
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Visit Instructions:Note the time of day of your visit, and your own photo of your favorite part of the observatory. This might be the view from the observatory, picture of your favorite building or favorite exhibit. (Be mindful of flash photography rules!)
If you participated in an observing session, let everyone know what you saw!