Edge Astronomy

03/10/2025

Hi everyone....due to high wind, clouds and possible rain i have to postpone the moon gazing event schedule for 4 October. I will keep you posted on the new date.

28/02/2025

Hi fellow star lovers . "ALL PLANETS VISIBLE" ? You may have seen headlines like "Rare planetary alignment this week" promising a "breathtaking night sky view." Let’s take a closer look at the facts:

What’s true: All planets in the solar system are on the same side of the Sun at the moment, meaning each planet will be visible above the horizon after sunset. This has intact been so for a while already.

However... the claim "all planets are visible this week" is misleading:

Venus, Saturn and Mercury are only a few degrees above the horizon and will likely be obscured by trees or buildings for most people.You will need a clear western horizon and will need to catch them at exactly the right time during sunset.

Uranus and Neptune are too far away and too faint to be seen without a telescope.

Jupiter and Mars will however be easy to find and are very bright naked eye objects. A strong pair or binoculars will reveal the 4 Galilean moons of Jupiter.

"All planets visible" applies only to a very small number of people who have a large telescope and a clear view of the western horizon.

Cellphone apps like Stellarium and Skysafari are excellent guides to help you find the planets.

13/09/2024

Tomorrow night is International Observe the Moon night! Come join us on the lawn at the Edgemead Village Centre at 17h00 for some Lunar fun!

If you've never seen the sun through a telescope, join us at 17h00 as there will be a telescope with a special sun filter.

Send a message to learn more

09/09/2024

International Observe the Moon Night (InOMN) is an annual worldwide public event encouraging observing and appreciation of the Moon. One day each year, everyone is invited to observe and learn about the moon together.
Join us on Saturday the 14th of September 2024 on the lawn at the Edgemead Village Centre to observe the Moon. Telescopes will be set up on the lawn with experienced amateur astronomers guiding you on your lunar exploration.

Send a message to learn more

10/02/2024

We had some fun under the stars last night at Leeuwenboschfontein Observatory . Thanks for the visit Monquer and sharing Celestron 8 inch Edge HD with us. It has great optics!

Tonight's weather is looking perfect and we are ready to show the stars to the public!

22/11/2023

Hi everyone. Please note that I have changed the starting time for the Moon gazing event to 19h30 on Friday evening. Please remember to dress warm.

14/11/2023

Hi everyone,

Please join me and a few friends on Friday 24 November from 19h30 onwards on the lawn at the Edgemead Village Centre for some moon and planet gazing. We will be putting up some telescopes and showing you the wonders of our moon and some planets!
Bring a blanket and come sit on the grass while your family joins us at the telescopes.
Please note this event is weather-dependent and can be cancelled on short notice. I will post an update a day before the event.

PS, please note this is a smoke and alcohol-free area.

18/04/2023

SpaceX is now targeting as soon as Thursday, April 20 for the first flight test of a fully integrated Starship and Super Heavy rocket from Starbase in Texas. The 62 minute launch window opens at 8:28 a.m. CT and closes at 9:30 a.m. CT.

28/01/2023

Hi everyone,
Just a reminder that we have the Observe the Moon event at the Edgemead Village Centre tonight at 18h00. *Although it is raining this morning and cloudy, it will clear up around 16h00*. It may be a bit windy, so dress warmly.

We will not only be looking at the Moon and planets but also doing a Moon Crater formation experiment with the kids. This is a fun experiment for them. Things will get dirty so bring a cloth to wipe their hands and a clean top!

Some of the telescopes will be configured in such a way that it is easy for the kids to look through.

The event program is:
1. 18h00 - Event start time
2. 18h15 - 15 min talk about the Moon
3. 18h30 - Moon crater experiment for kids
4. 19H00 - Moon gazing starts

If you have your own telescope, you are welcome to bring it with.

22/01/2023

22/01/2023

𝐎𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧 – 𝟐𝟖 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑

The Moon is the easiest celestial object to find in our night sky. When last have you stood still, looked up, and appreciated the beauty of our African Moon?

Join us on Saturday 28 January 2023 at 18h00 on the lawn at the 𝐄𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 to observe the Moon. Telescopes will be set up on the lawn with experienced amateur astronomers guiding you on your lunar exploration. There will be a practical demonstration of how Moon craters are formed and an Earth/Moon size comparison. Observation will be done from 18h45 till late. Bring a blanket and picnic blanket and come join us on the grass!

At 18h15 we will have a quick talk about the Moon. This will be followed by the Earth /Moon size comparison and the moon crater demonstration will start after that. Be prepared, the Moon crater demonstration gets messy! It is a good idea to bring along a wet cloth/towel to clean your little ones after the demonstration. If you are concerned about your little one eating nuts/sweets, then please note it is best they only observe the experiment. Due to limited stock, we can only let a limited amount of children participate in the experiment.

Many people might assume that the best time to view the Moon is when it is in full phase, but that's probably the worst time to look at it. When the Moon is full, it tends to be dazzlingly bright as well as flat and one-dimensional in appearance. In contrast, the interval when the Moon is at or just past First Quarter phase, or at or just before Last Quarter phase, is when we get the best views of the lunar landscape right along the sunrise-sunset line or "terminator". The terminator is that variable line between the illuminated portion and the part of the Moon in shadow.
The Moon is the fifth largest natural satellite in the Solar System. At 3,475 km in diameter, the Moon is much smaller than the major moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Earth is about 80 times the volume of the Moon, but both are about the same age.

If you have a pair of binoculars, please bring them with you!