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UFS and DESTEA partnering to promote astro-tourism in the Free State

18 November 2022 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Leonie Bolleurs

Navil Hill Planetarium — At the Naval Hill Planetarium, one of only two in the world that is located in a game reserve in the middle of a city, are from the left, front: Bishop Billyboy Ramahlele, Director of Community Engagement, Tony Horn, Dr Molapo Qhobela, Dorah Klaas from UFS Institutional Advancement, Motheo Leeuw, and Prof Matie Hoffman.

Just over 11 years ago, the University of the Free State (UFS), the Mangaung Metro Municipality, and the Department of Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (DESTEA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding that focused on the development and establishment of the Naval Hill Planetarium. In 2016, the partnership was extended to include the establishment of a facility for environmental education adjacent to the planetarium. Thus, the site on Naval Hill, Bloemfontein is now the Centre for Earth and Space.

Recently, colleagues from the UFS and DESTEA, as well as Free State tourism entrepreneurs, gathered at the planetarium and Boyden Observatory to discuss the next step in this partnership – a collaboration to bring astro-tourism to the Free State.

Astro-tourism facilities

Tourism Registrar at DESTEA, Motheo Leeuw, said in his welcome address that,in order to increase the number of visitors to the Free State, it is important to work together. “We are creating a new product, that of astro-tourism,” he stated, and requested the tour guides who attended the event to develop an innovative new product for their market.

Speaking on behalf of the UFS, Dr Molapo Qhobela, Vice-Rector: Institutional Change, Strategic Partnerships and Societal Impact, stated that astro-tourism holds enormous potential for this country. He said the UFS is excited to be a partner in this initiative.

Dr Qhobela said he believes the beauty of science can be used to promote astro-tourism. He echoed Leeuw’s sentiment, stating that it is only through partnerships that astro-tourism will become a reality. “If we want to drive astro-tourism, we need to find creative ways to connect with each other,” he stated.

“We must work together to make our home, Bloemfontein, a better place,” he said.

A taste of astro-tourism

About 30 delegates, including the UFS, DESTEA, military representatives, and tour guides from Bloemfontein and Clarence, gained first-hand experience of the potential of astro-tourism. They attended a full-dome pre-rendered astronomy show and a presentation on the night sky in the Naval Hill Planetarium, where images were projected onto the planetarium dome, resulting in an immersive experience of the wonder of the universe. The tour guides proceeded on a game drive in the Franklin Game Reserve on Naval Hill.

Later in the afternoon – after enjoying a sunset view of the environment at the Boyden Observatory – guests were introduced to the observatory, including its telescopes and the Astronomy Museum. Prof Matie Hoffman, Dr Mart-Mari Duvehage, and Dawid van Jaarsveldt from the Department of Physics at the UFS, were on hand to conduct the tour of the observatory, and Bishop Billyboy Ramahlele, Director of Community Engagement, hosted the guests.

Tony Horn, a tour guide from Bush Junkies Adventure Safaris – one of the guests at the event – is optimistic about the potential of this initiative. He said he will bring visitors to Boyden and the planetarium to experience the attractions.

The Two-Observatories Project

The Boyden Observatory and the Naval Hill Planetarium are known as the Two-Observatories Project, which will be the focus of astro-tourism in the Free State. Focus areas of the Two Observatories Project are science communication and education, research, astronomy heritage, and the environment. The project therefore has great potential to attract tourists.

According to Prof Hoffman, the two observatories work in synergy to educate and inform citizens about the natural sciences. They are also important for the display of and communication about South Africa’s astronomical heritage.

In addition to being an active optical research site, Boyden Observatory is ideal for public lectures and star-gazing events. Educational programmes, including observations with telescopes, are also presented at the observatory. An astronomy museum is a major attraction at Boyden.

The Naval Hill Planetarium, also a good venue for public lectures and concerts, offers planetarium shows, including full-dome films. The site also offers a large hall that is primarily used for environmental education. These facilities operate under the banner of the Free State Centre for Earth and Space.

News Archive

Research helps farmers save with irrigation

2017-02-15

Description: Irrigation research Tags: Irrigation research

Marcill Venter, lecturer in the Department of
Agricultural Economics at the University of the
Free State, has developed the mathematical
programming system, Soil Water Irrigation
Planning and Energy Management in order to
determine irrigation pump hours.
Photo: Rulanzen Martin

Her advice to farmers is that they should make sure they are aware of the total cost (investment and operating costs) of an irrigation system. In most cases the investment cost is low, but the operating cost over the lifetime of the system is high.

“It is very important to have a look at the total cost and to install the most economic system,” says Marcill Venter, lecturer at the University of the Free State (UFS), who has done research on the economic sustainability of water-pipe systems.

Irrigation systems important components for farming
This research comes at a time when many farmers are relying on their irrigation systems due to persistent drought and low rainfall during 2016. South Africa has also experienced an abnormal increase in electricity tariffs in recent years. Due to tariff increases which threaten the future profitability of irrigation producers, the Water Research Commission (WRC) has launched and financed a project on the sustainable management of irrigation farming systems. “I had the opportunity to work on the project as a researcher,” says Venter.

The heart of every irrigation system is the water pipes that bring life to crops and livestock, and this is what Venter’s research is about. “Water pipes are part of the whole design of irrigation systems. The design of the system impact certain factors which determine the investment and operating costs,” she says.

Mathematical system to help farmers
Venter and Professor Bennie Grové, also from the Department of Agricultural Economics at the UFS, designed the Soil Water Irrigation Planning and Energy Management (SWIP-E) programming model as part of the WRC’s project, as well as for her master’s degree. “The model determines irrigation pump hours through a daily groundwater budget, while also taking into account the time-of-use electricity tariff structure and change in kilowatt requirements arising from the main-line design,” says Venter. The model is a non-linear programming model programmed in General Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS).

Design of irrigation system important for sustainability
The main outcome of the study is that the time-of-use electricity tariff structure (Ruraflex) is always more profitable than the flat-rate structure (Landrate). The interaction between the management and design of a system is crucial, as it determines the investment and operating costs. Irrigation designers should take the investment and operating cost of a system into account during the design process. The standards set by the South African Irrigation Institute (SAII) should also be controlled and revised.

Water-pipe thickness plays major role in cost cuts
There is interaction between water-pipe thickness, investment and operating costs. When thinner water pipes are installed, it increases the friction in the system as well as the kilowatt usage. A high kilowatt increases the operating cost, but the use of thinner water pipes lowers the investment cost. Thicker water pipes therefore lower the friction and the kilowatt requirements, which leads to lower operating costs, but thicker pipes have a higher investment cost. “It is thus crucial to look at the total cost (operating and investment cost) when investing in a new system. Farmers should invest in the system with the lowest total cost,” says Venter.

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