This last week Table Mountain went up in flames, causing terrible damage, displacing people and destroying the lives of countless creatures and plants. But what is fire and how is terrestrial fire different to what we see in our Sun? Here to talk us through the physics (gently) is Dr Richard Armstrong, an astronomer at the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory.

Looking up - 30 Apr 21

Five minutes at the end of each week explores the big and the small questions in astronomy, cosmology, and space science. Hosted by Kechil Kirkham, no subject is too big or too small, and experts are regularly brought on board to illuminate and excite. Cape Town is the place to be for astronomy, with some of the largest telescopes in the world housed or being built not too far away. Looking Up takes advantage of the shoals of scientists and engineers working on the planet’s most advanced astronomy projects, who live and work right here in the Mother City. Kechil has recently acquired an MPhil in Space Studies at the University of Cape Town, and works in South Africa’s space industry on the Square Kilometre Array radio telescope.