Speaker
Prof.
Petri Vaisanen
(South African Astronomical Observatory)
Description
The South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) turns 200 years in 2020. It is the premier optical astronomy research facility on the African continent. The Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) is a 10m class telescope, the largest one in the Southern Hemisphere, and the flagship facility at the Sutherland observing site that SAAO operates. I will summarise the current status of SALT and highlight some recent science results. I will present the new science focus strategy including transient astrophysics, exoplanets, and galaxy evolution, that both SALT and SAAO have recently adopted. I will talk about the development plans for the next years supporting those focused science goals.
