African Astronomy. What is it? Who wrote about it? Why do we never hear about it? These are some of the questions that will be answered at the lecture given by Professor Thebe Medupe at Scifest Africa, taking place on Tuesday 18 March.
African Astronomy. What is it? Who wrote about it? Why do we never hear about it? These are some of the questions that will be answered at the lecture given by Professor Thebe Medupe at Scifest Africa, taking place on Tuesday 18 March.
Professor Thebe Medupe is one of the foremost astronomers in South Africa and Africa. He was also one of the first three black astronomers in South Africa. His interest in astronomy was initially sparked by the passing of Halley’s Comet in 1986.
At the age of thirteen, he built his first telescope and made his own map of the moon in the small village he grew up in near Mafikeng. Currently a lecturer at North-West University, Medupe graduated from UCT with a PhD in Astrophysics.
Medupe is best known for his documentary Cosmic Africa. It explored and shed new light on traditional African astronomy, and the global understanding of astronomy. Medupe is currently the head of the Timbuktu Science Project. The project’s aim is to search for scientific knowledge in ancient manuscripts discovered in the ancient Malian city of Timbuktu.
His lecture at the Sci-Fest will reveal what the ancient scripts of Timbuktu have said about astronomy, what scholars in the 13th century were taught about astronomy and the current state of the ancient manuscripts after Northern Mali’s 2013 conflict. Professor Medupe’s lecture on Astronomy in Africa: The ancient manuscripts of Timbuktu will be at the Olive Schreiner Hall in the Monument, from 1pm to 2pm. Tickets cost R15.
