Astronomers of Timbuktu in Mali reveal a rich astronomy history supported by manuscripts kept in personal and public libraries in that country.
Prof. Thebe Medupe will talk to us about "Astronomy in Africa: The ancient manuscripts of Timbuktu" on Saturday, 13 September at 20h00 at SA Astronomical Observatory. Stargazing will follow after the talk if the weather is good.
Summary
According to textbooks, the history of astronomy in Africa commences in 1820 when the Royal Observatory at the Cape of Good Hope was built. While ancient manuscripts from the city of Timbuktu in Mali, West Africa reveal that African scholars were studying and carrying out astronomy research as early as the 13th century. The talk will focus on what the manuscripts revealed about astronomy in Africa, and the current status of the manuscripts after the conflict in northern Mali in 2013.
