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Posted by ASSA Bloemfontein at 23:03
Vriende van Boyden Ope-aand, 19:00 op Vrydag 25 Februarie
Vriende van Boyden Ope-aand,
19:00 op Vrydag 25 Februarie
English translation follows at the bottom
Bespreek asseblief vroegtydig!
Bel 051 401 2561 tydens kantoorure
Of stuur 'n epos aan vjaarsdp@ufs.ac.za
Toegang: R 30 per motor
Verversings en ligte etes te koop.
Aangebied deur: Vriende van Boyden Sterrewag en die Amateur Sterrekunde Vereniging
Die Ingenieurswese agter Sterrekunde
Sterrekunde het by die publiek en selfs die wetenskaplike gemeenskap die gesig van mooi foto’s, sterrekundige data en uiteindelik wetenskaplike resultate. Daar is egter ‘n enorme ingenieurspoging nodig om dit alles te laat gebeur – die meeste daarvan ongesiens agter die skerms. Willie Koorts se lesing sal op hierdie aspek fokus en sal aantoon hoe instrumentasie en beheersisteme op die voorpunt van die tegnologie wat vir die moderne sterrekunde noodsaaklik is, tot stand kom.
Willie Koorts werk vir die afgelope 23 jaar as ’n Elektroniese Tegnikus by die Suid-Afrikaanse Astronomiese Observatorium in Kaapstad. Hy het begin by SAAO se buite stasie in Sutherland in die Karoo en skuif later na hulle hoofkantoor by die sterrewag in Kaapstad as deel van die ingenieurspan. Hier ontwerp en bou hulle die beheersisteme en instrumentasie vir die teleskope in Sutherland. Die SAAO het ook die kontrak gekry om twee kameras vir SALT te bou waarby Willie Koorts nou betrokke was, spesifiek met die verantwoordelikheid vir die installasie van dié baie duur detektore.
Willie Koorts het as ’n amateur sterrekundige geïnteresseerd geraak nadat hy in Sutherland, en as deel van ’n UNISA Rekenaarwetenskap kwalifikasie, sommige B.Sc. Astronomie modules geneem het. Hy is ook ’n amateur teleskoopbouer (ATB) en werkskaf ook met die aanpassing van webkameras en donkerlig videokameras vir astronomiese gebruik. ’n Ander belangstelling van Willie Koorts is sterrekunde geskiedenis waaroor hy navorsing gedoen het en ’n paar artikels gepubliseer het. Hy het ook geïnteresseerd geraak in satellietopsporing en het ’n rekenaarbeheerde montering vir die opsporing van satelliete ontwikkel - ’n geheime Amerikaanse spioensatelliet is onlangs met so ’n sisteem opgespoor. Ander belangstellings is fotografie en in die laaste tyd, Geocaching- die “sport” om skatte te vind (en te versteek) met die gebruik van ’n GPS.
Vir die laaste vier jaar was Willie die redakteur van MNASSA (Maandelikse Notas van die Astronomiese Vereniging van Suidelike Afrika). Hy skryf gereeld vir die WEG, De KAT en ONS EIE en vertaal ’n paar publikasies vir Struik Uitgewers. Hy is die voorsitter van die OWG (die Orion Waarnemingsgroep), ’n informele sterrekundeklub in die Boland en is taamlik betrokke by die Voortrekkers en reik spesiale astronomie kentekens uit. Ander publieke uitreikaktiwiteite sluit in sy rol as toergids vir die jaarlikse ATKV bustoer vanaf Wellington (sy tuisdorp) na Sutherland.
Friends of Boyden Open Evening,
19:00 on Friday 25 February
Reservation is Required. Book early!
Contact 051 401 2561 during office hours
Or send an e-mail to vjaarsdp@ufs.ac.za to book.
Entrance: R 30 per car
Refreshments and light meals will be for sale.
Presented by: Friends of Boyden Observatory and the Amateur Astronomy Association.
The Engineering behind Astronomy
The face of astronomy to the public or even the scientific community are pretty pictures, astronomical data and ultimately scientific results. But a huge engineering effort is required to make this all happen - most of which happens unseen, behind the scenes. Willie Koorts’ talk will focus on this aspect and reveal how the cutting edge instrumentation and control systems needed in modern astronomy comes about.
Willie Koorts has been working as an Electronics Technician at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) in Cape Town for the past 23 years. He started at SAAO's observing outstation in Sutherland in the Karoo and later moved to their head quarters in Observatory, Cape Town as part of the engineering team there. Here they design and build the control systems and instrumentation for the telescopes in Sutherland. SAAO also got the contract to build two of the cameras for SALT with which Willie was intimately involved, with the responsibility of installing the super-expensive detectors himself.
Willie got interested as an Amateur Astronomer after starting in Sutherland and, as part of a UNISA Computer Science qualification, did some BSc Astronomy modules. He's also an ATM (Amateur Telescope Builder) and tinkered with modifying webcams and low-light video cameras for use in astronomy. Another interest is Astronomical History for which he did some research and published a few articles. He also got interested in satellite tracking and developed a computer controlled mount for tracking satellites - a secret American spy-satellite was recently tracked down using such a system. Other interests are photography and, lately, Geocaching - the "sport" of finding (and hiding) hidden treasures using a GPS.
For the last four years Willie has been the editor of MNASSA (Monthly Notes of the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa). He regularly writes articles for WEG, de Kat and Ons Eie and translated a few publications for Struik Publishers. He's the chairman of OOG (the Orion Observation Group), an informal astronomy club in the Boland and is quite involved with the Voortrekkers, presenting special astronomy badges. Other public outreach activities include being the tourguide for an annual ATKV bustour from Wellington (his hometown) to Sutherland.
Posted by ASSA Bloemfontein at 23:32
Vriende van Boyden Ope-aand, 19:00 op Vrydag 25 F...