HERMANUS – Visitors to Gearings Point will notice the installation of the first batch of mounting slabs against the inner wall of the Whale Watching Ring.
A number of educational tablets measuring 560 x 795 mm will be mounted against these slabs at 60° about 150 mm above the paving, so that a person standing in front of it can read it like a normal A4 page.
The tablets will give a comprehensive introductory overview of astronomy. The topics take one on a journey out from earth through the universe to the Big Bang, the origin of the elements and stellar evolution. Ancient Astronomy and Pioneering Female Astronomers also provide an historical perspective.
On a more practical level, the human eye, binoculars, terrestrial and space telescopes are described as observational aids. There is a tablet with observing tips and one describing how to take photos of the night sky. Of particular interest to Northern Hemisphere visitors will be a description of the celestial objects visible in the Southern Sky and how to use sky maps.
The final tablet describes space exploration as of June 2022 and the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence.
The B&W text of the tablets will be chemically etched and ink-filled on stainless steel tablets, while the colour diagrams and photos are reverse printed onto Perspex tablets, which will be mounted above the tablets to also serve as protective covers.
The trig beacon area will also be substantially enhanced by the addition of four more sundials and interesting information about the astronomical origins and role of trig beacons in the surveying and mapping of South Africa.
More information about these enhancements and the educational tablets will be published regularly until completion of the project.