taken to Ireland for examination and research. The project required substantial financial support, part of which was obtained from the Belfast and Dublin governments and the rest from Harvard College Observatory where Lindsay had studied earlier in his career.

The large Baker-Schmidt telescope manufactured by Perkin-Elmer came into operation in 1950. The instrument was designed by Professor James Baker of Harvard University and had the world's then largest objective prism of 33 inches diameter.

Dr Lindsay made great use of the ADH photographic plates between 1953 and 1974. The Large and Small Magellanic Clouds were

studied intensively, leading to the discovery of hundreds of new clusters in the LMC. The LMC can be seen towards the bottom of the background on this poster, circled, just below the Milky Way. Lindsay also carried out research on emission line objects, planetary nebulae, variable stars and the Southern Coalsack.

Links between the Armagh Observatory and Bloemfontein continued, and in 1955 the Boyden Observatory became the first international Observatory. Participating countries were Northern Ireland, Eire, Belgium, Germany, Sweden and USA.

Astronomy is an international endeavour in which Northern Ireland has played a notable role. Indeed, Ireland as a whole has a distinguished astronomical heritage, for example the megalithic observatory at Newgrange (~5,000 years ago). Today it boasts the Armagh Observatory, a scientific research centre where summer students, PhD students and research astronomers work together to further our understanding of the Universe and communicate their findings to the public.

Although starlore has long been part of the rich South African heritage, the modern astronomical era began there when ships undertook the exploration of the Southern Seas. Over the centuries, South Africa has become a popular observing location due to its exceptionally dark and clear skies. Major observatories, such as the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), a world-ranking organisation funded by the South African government, have been established.

These developments have not been independent of each other. There were long-established links between the UK and South Africa through the SAAO and later, with Harvard and Dunsink Observatories, through Bloemfontein.

The South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) is the national optical observatory of South Africa. SAAO headquarters are in Cape Town, but the main telescopes used for research are at the SAAO observing station near Sutherland in the Northern Cape, a four hour drive from Cape Town.

Built on the site of the Boyden station of the Harvard Observatory near Bloemfontein, South Africa, the ADH telescope was the result of a collaboration between Dr Eric Mervyn Lindsay, Armagh, Eamon de Valera, Dunsink, and Dr Harlow Shapley, Harvard. During the 1940’s the Director of the Armagh Observatory, Dr Lindsay, was enthusiastically attempting to revive astronomy in Ireland, and over several years his plans developed into the building of a telescope in South Africa where clear skies and the southern location were ideal. The images retrieved were to be

Dr Lindsay at the controls of the ADH telescope.

Comet Hale-Bopp over Armagh Observatory.

Background image of Southern Sky, from Loomberah Australia, courtesy of Gordon Garradd.

His Excellency, Dr Jansen (Governor General of South Africa), and Dr Lindsay (left), operating the controls of the ADH telescope.

The Boyden Observatory, Bloemfontein. The ADH telescope is at the right.

Telescopes at Sutherland

For further information visit www.arm.ac.uk