Browsing by Subject "Astronomical research"

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    A cataclysmic key program for SALT
    (2006) Warner, Brian
    The study of cataclysmic variable stars has a long history in South Africa. A brief overview of this history is followed by indications of where the new Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) is likely to make major contributions to this research field. There are about 60 staff and students in the SALT Consortium, who work on interacting binaries containing compact components. Most of these people work on cataclysmic variable stars, with the remainder researching neutron star and black hole binary pairs. This group will use a significant amount of SALT observing time. I look at some of the collective and individual topics that SALT will be able to address.
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    Library and Information Services (LIS) in astronomical research: an analysis of the contribution of LIS to the historical development of astronomy at the South African Astronomical Observatory
    (2021) de Young, Theresa; Raju, Jaya
    The objective of the study was to undertake a historical analysis of the contribution of library and information services (LIS) to the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) in the context of the historical development of astronomy in South Africa. Three critical questions guided the study: How has library and information service provision to the SAAO evolved historically in the context of the historical development of astronomy in South Africa?; What is the current status of LIS in astronomical research at the SAAO?; and, What possible new roles could the SAAO Library and its librarians play in an astronomy research facility such as the SAAO to contribute to South African astronomical research? In order to find shared experiences and trends relating to in the field of LIS in astronomical research, data were gathered using semi-structured interviews with purposively selected individuals experienced in the field of astronomical research as well those associated with astronomical LIS; relevant literature sources; primary documents from the SAAO Library archive; and, the researcher's own experiences at the SAAO Library (autoethnography). In adopting a qualitative approach via a phenomenological historical design, the study did not use explicit theory, but anticipated 'theory' in the form of patterns and trends emerging, inductively, at the end of the study out of the data collected. Content analysis together with qualitative research software application, NVivo 12 Pro, were used for analysis and coding of data collected for the study.