Celebrating Cultural Astronomy with Dark Skies Downunder: A National Science Week Event

Join us for an evening of Cultural Astronomy with Dark Skies Downunder. Celebrating National Science Week and celebrating First Nations contributions as the first scientists of this land. Gathering at Lithgow's iconic Blast Furnace we will enjoy viewing the night sky through a range of telescopes with PhD candidate Trevor Leaman and light refreshments provided by Keshara Indigenous Fusion Food Catering

Event details:

• This is an all-ages event, suitable for families
• This is a free event however numbers are limited and registration is essential
• Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times
• This is an alcohol-free event
• Event includes walking and standing for short periods of time. Please bring your own camp chairs or picnic blanket if desired
• In the event of wet weather, the event will still go ahead according to schedule with an alternative indoor experience at the Lithgow Transformation Hub.

Presenters:

Trevor and Tina Leaman are based in Orange where they operate an Astronomy Outreach business Dark Skies Downunder, sharing their knowledge with local schools, community groups and private functions. Tina is a proud Palawa woman, a skilled artist, researcher and educator who has worked beside Trevor as an Outreach Astronomer and Astronomy Tour Guide in Tasmania, the Northern Territory and New South Wales. Both are members of the Australian Indigenous Astronomy research group, and the Central West Astronomical Society. Trevor has completed a PhD in Cultural Astronomy at the University of New South Wales, researching Wiradjuri traditional Astronomical knowledge with the support of the Wiradjuri Elders and knowledge custodians. This research project, known as the Wiradjuri Cultural Astronomy Project, works in tandem with the Wiradjuri Murriyang Project coordinated by Tina Leaman with a focus on cultural STEAM activities and community collaboration.

This event is being funded under the Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants Program, which is an initiative of the Commonwealth Government National Recovery and Resilience Agency.