Africa site test 1955

Early site testing in the Karroo Region. Between October 1955 and March 1957, first series of site tests were performed over a wide range or geographic latitudes in South Africa, gradually converging to the Karroo semi-desert region. This picture shows the observing post on the Rooiberg hill near Cillitzdorp in the southern Karroo, with a Danjon telescope equipped with a Walraven refractor-photometer. The picture was taken by one of the principal participants of these site tests, J. Dommanget.