Herschel, South Africa

Herschel
Herschel is located in Eastern Cape
Herschel
Herschel
Herschel is located in South Africa
Herschel
Herschel
Coordinates: 30°36′54″S 27°9′43″E / 30.61500°S 27.16194°E / -30.61500; 27.16194
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceEastern Cape
DistrictJoe Gqabi
MunicipalitySenqu
Area
 • Total4.48 km2 (1.73 sq mi)
Elevation
1,830 m (6,000 ft)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total2,189
 • Density490/km2 (1,300/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
 • Black African99.9%
 • Coloured0.1%
First languages (2011)
 • Xhosa7.5%
 • Sotho10.1%
 • Hlubi 80%
 • Other2.3%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
9756
PO box
9756
Area code051-603

Herschel is a settlement in Joe Gqabi District Municipality in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.

The village is situated 19 kilometres (12 mi) north of Lady Grey, due east of Aliwal North. Founded in 1879, it was named after the astronomer Sir John Herschel who worked in the Cape Colony from 1834 to 1838, making observations of Halley's Comet amongst his other astronomical work.[2]

  1. ^ a b c d "Main Place Herschel". Census 2011.
  2. ^ Raper, P. E. (1989). Dictionary of Southern African Place Names. Jonathan Ball Publishers. p. 207. ISBN 978-0-947464-04-2 – via Internet Archive.