South Africa Astronomical Observatory

Explore the universe from the beautiful town of Sutherland, known not only as the home of the largest single-aperture telescope in the Southern Hemisphere (the Southern African Large Telescope, or SALT) but also reputed to be the coldest place in South Africa with record lows of -16 degrees Celsius.

The South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), 18 km from the town itself, invites visitors for both day and night tours of these worldclass astronomical facilities. Day visitors can see the major telescopes, including SALT, while night visitors will be able to look through two dedicated visitors’ telescopes at interesting objects in
the sky. Booking is essential!