Mission M-14
Southern Sky Census
A year-long public survey of bright variable stars, logged by trained volunteer observers.
Public datasetUpdated monthly
33° 01′ S · Public sky laboratory
Night, made measurable.
A small public observatory where guided telescope sessions become shared science: observe, record, compare and publish.
Scroll through tonight’s field notes
01 / About
A public instrument, not a private club.
Nadir pairs a 14-inch research-grade telescope with a deliberately small visitor programme. Every session starts outdoors, learning the sky as a map rather than a screen.
Observations collected during citizen-science nights are cleaned, annotated and released as open logs. You leave with a better view of the sky and evidence that your hour at the eyepiece counted.
02 / Programmes
Four ways into the sky.
Structured as observing formats rather than packages. Each has a distinct pace, group size and output.
01
Open Dome
90 min · up to 16 people
A hosted tour of the visible sky, two telescope targets and a printed field card.
02
Deep Session
3 hr · up to 6 people
Long-form observing with filters, tracking, live imaging and a shared digital observation log.
03
School Orbit
2 hr · class groups
Curriculum-linked sky orientation, instrument lab and one follow-up dataset for the classroom.
04
Citizen Shift
4 hr · trained volunteers
Contribute calibrated measurements to active Nadir monitoring campaigns.
03 / Process
Observe → reduce → release.
A visitor night can be casual. A science night follows the same four-stage discipline every time.
- 1
Plan
Target list, weather window and instrument configuration are published before doors open.
- 2
Capture
Observers rotate through telescope, imaging station and written log so the record is complete.
- 3
Reduce
Staff calibrate frames, remove bad readings and attach method notes within 72 hours.
- 4
Release
Clean observations join the public archive with contributor names and a stable mission code.
04 / Current work
Missions turn visits into a body of evidence.
Mission M-09
Lunar Limb Nights
High-contrast lunar sessions pairing live projection with guided sketching and crater measurement.
Public datasetUpdated monthly
Mission M-22
Meteor Watch
Community observation shifts timed to major showers, with open datasets published after each campaign.
Public datasetUpdated monthly
4,218
public observations
87%
usable sky-hours
31
school cohorts
18
open data releases
06 / People
Small team. Clear nights.
Dr. Mara Venter
Observatory lead
Stellar photometry · public science
Sibusiso Mbeki
Instrument specialist
Optics · tracking · imaging
Leila Ross
Programme host
Science communication · schools
07 / Observation logs
What we learned after midnight.
LOG 117
Why Saturn looked soft on a perfectly clear night
Atmospheric seeing, not cloud, was the limiting factor — and the data shows exactly where it changed.
7 min read
LOG 116
Three ways to read the Moon without a map
Start with light direction, then use the terminator to find relief before naming a single crater.
7 min read
LOG 115
What 612 meteor marks can tell us
Our Perseid public shift produced enough timing data to compare local peak activity with the global forecast.
7 min read
08 / Before you ask
Practical questions, answered.
Do I need astronomy experience?
No. Public sessions begin with naked-eye orientation before moving to the telescope. Hosts adapt the depth to the group.
What happens if cloud rolls in?
We switch to the instrument room, live archival data and a guided sky-lab session. Weather cancellations can also be moved once at no cost.
Can schools book weekday sessions?
Yes. School groups can reserve curriculum-linked sessions for Years 6–12, including teacher notes and a follow-up data exercise.
Is the dome accessible?
The visitor deck and control room are step-free. A seated observing station is available; let us know about access needs when booking.
Ridge Road, Eastern Cape
Wed–Sat · sunset to 23:30
Sessions weather-dependent
Fictional identity created as an Interlink catalogue design.