Living Amongst the Stars at the Johannesburg Observatory (signed)

Inscribed by the author, published by Chris van Rensburg Publications, Johannesburg, 2006, hardcover, illustrated, condition: very good.

 This book provides a historic perspective of the site, from its establishment over a hundred years ago on a bare koppie far from the centre of the city - where one could still encounter a leopard! - to the present day, when SAASTA has provided the site with a new vision as a thriving hub of science activity. This vision still conforms to the wishes of the original owners of the farm to use the site for astronomy and related science activities. The story of the Observatory, like the tracking of the stars, proves to be a fascinating one. The book offers insight into the dedication of the astronomers of the previous century and their important and unique discoveries which added to the pool of scientific knowledge. One such example is Robert Innes's discovery in 1915 of the star he called Proxima Centauri, our Sun's nearest neighbour in the sky. Another I thoroughly enjoyed was the leading position taken by the Observatory staff in determining the orbits of the first Russian and American artificial satellites. The book does the history of the Observatory justice by capturing stories like these for all to enjoy.