New blog for Indigenous Astronomy project

Visit the department's latest blog sharing news and research discoveries

The Australian Aboriginal Astronomy Project, centered within the Department of Indigenous Studies (Warawara) at Macquarie, is an interdisciplinary collaboration of academics and Indigenous Elders who are researching the astronomical knowledge and traditions of Indigenous Australians.

The research is cross-faculty, with Indigenous Studies working closely with the Departments of Physics & Astronomy and Earth & Planetary Science. The collaborative work is now part of the new Macquarie Centre for Astronomy along with the Dept of Education.

Duane Hamacher, of the Australian Aboriginal Astronomy Project says, 'The project has grown significantly over the last few years, producing to a volume of peer-reviewed work and generating substantial public interest. 

I have started a blog on Aboriginal Astronomy, which will be updated weekly, covering the latest research, educational material, and general knowledge on the subject.  Our work is rigorous and we are in close collaboration with Indigenous Elders and communities.'

The blog is http://aboriginalastronomy.blogspot.com/ and is now live and available for academics, students and the public to access. In its first few weeks it has already surpassed 1,100 views.

Astronomy has been found to be an effective tool to educate students and the general public about Indigenous culture due to a general fascination with the stars across all ages.

The project is looking forward to open and supportive collaboration with Indigenous groups and university departments across Australia and the globe as the blog and its research continues.