Sky Stories brings together ancient knowledge and modern science

Humans across the globe have been staring at the night sky in wonder for millennia.

Throughout recorded and unrecorded history the stars have inspired stories, been used to tell time and to guide us from place to place.

On Friday, October 13, Charles Sturt University is hosting a special community event, bringing together two different traditions of interpreting the night sky.

“It’s called ‘Sky Stories’ and it’s a community observation night, so a meeting of Aboriginal sky stories – what do they mean in Aboriginal culture, in Aboriginal law — and western science,” Dr Cesidio Parissi, one of the originators of the event, said.

Sky Stories is a family-friendly event that gives star-lovers of all ages the opportunity to explore celestial bodies through powerful telescopes 

“We have local amateur astronomers who come and help,” Dr Parissi said. “There'll be probably six or seven telescopes set up and amateur astronomers with each telescope. People can ask them questions and have a look at whatever's up there in the sky — the moon, the stars, the planets, maybe the moons of certain planets.

“And we will have a speaker who will talk about the sky stories, the Aboriginal knowledge gained from the sky, and how that related to the people and how they did work on the land, " he continued.

“So we have sky stories being told from an Aboriginal point of view and looking at the sky from a Western science point of view, so both Aboriginal science and Western science.”

Sky Stories was first run in 2017, but this will be the first held since 2019. Covid lockdowns saw the event cancelled in 2020 and 2021, and a storm stopped the event going ahead in 2022.

Already around 300 people have booked for the free event at the Charles Sturt University Campus.

“Another aspect of it is to invite the community to get to know our campus,” Dr Parissi said. “So linking us up here on the hill to the wider community. Come on and have a fun night with the family.”

The Sky Stories Community Observation Night 2023 will be held from 6–8pm Friday, October 13 at the Charles Sturt University’s Orange Campus.

The event is free and there will be a barbecue and bush tucker available. All you need is to bring a blanket or chair and maybe a jumper.

To help with catering people are asked to register their interest here: https://bit.ly/45TpZPB