65,000 years - the rich history of Aboriginal Astronomy
Join the Astronomical Society of Australia for the annual Harley Wood Public Lecture titled ‘65,000 years - the rich history of Aboriginal Astronomy’, presented by Kirsten Banks.
Humans have been looking up to the stars for a long time, but for how long? You may think that astronomy started with the Ancient Greeks and the formulation of the modern constellations we see in the sky today, but what if we told you that astronomy has been practised in Australia for the last 65,000 years?
University of New South Wales Physics graduate and proud Wiradjuri woman, Kirsten Banks, takes you on a journey through time to discover how Aboriginal Australians have used and still use the stars to manage food sources, navigate, and predict the weather. Kirsten is a science communicator and affiliated with the Aboriginal Astronomy research group. In her presentation, Kirsten will reveal the diverse utility of stars in Aboriginal culture, latest research insights and their relevance to society today.
Banner image credit: Stellarium