Indigenous stargazing at Australian Parliament House - CANCELLED

After consulting with First Nations astronomer Peter Swanton and astrophysicist Dr Brad Tucker, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the event due to high cloud coverage. We will be discussing with Mr Swanton and Dr Tucker the possibility to reschedule the Indigenous Stargazing event and encourage you to subscribe to the Parliament House newsletter to receive information on future public events and activities at Parliament House.

Join First Nations astronomer Peter Swanton and astrophysicist Dr Brad Tucker on the forecourt of Australian Parliament House for a night under the stars during National Reconciliation Week. 

Supported by the ANU Astronomy Society and their telescopes, Peter and Brad will guide you through Australia’s long and rich history of stargazing.  

Discover how the skies have been used by First Nation’s peoples as maps to navigate seasons and guide cultural practices across a millennium. Explore the scientific importance of stars on Country and how this knowledge is being preserved.  

This free family event will take place from 7pm to 8pm on Tuesday 30 May. It will be held on the forecourt in front of Australian Parliament House. Bring a picnic rug, warm drink, and rug up against the Canberra chill to observe the skies.  

Please register your attendance through the ticket link. In the event of cloudy/bad weather the event will be cancelled and registered attendees will receive notifications of updates.   

Plan your visit 

This is an outdoor event and participants may encounter uneven surfaces and changing weather conditions. We recommend dressing warmly and wearing comfortable shoes.   

Please note, this event is subject to change at short notice.  

We look forward to welcoming you to Parliament House. Plan your visit today.