Cosmic echoes around the globe 

Art and astronomy are connecting science and culture between Australia and South Africa in the new art exhibition Cosmic Echoes, featuring artworks showcasing connection to land and sky. 

The international SKA Observatory (SKAO) worked with Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, the Wajarri Yamaji and the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory to feature art and stories from the cultures of both SKA telescope sites.

The Wajarri Yamaji People are Traditional Owners and Native Title Holders of Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, CSIRO’s Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory, home of the SKAO’s SKA-Low telescope. 

They have been observing the sky, telling stories and creating art from their knowledge for thousands of years. 

Many of the artworks in Cosmic Echoes feature the Pleiades cluster of stars, known as the Seven Sisters across many cultures. The uniquely Indigenous-Australian Emu in the Sky also appears in many of the Wajarri artworks. 

Building such ethical, meaningful and respectful collaborations with First Nations peoples will be a focus of the International Conference on Research Infrastructures when it begins next Tuesday, the 3^rd of December. Maori, Lakota, Sami, and Aboriginal Australians will lead discussions on Indigenous engagement in research infrastructure projects.

Find out more: https://www.csiro.au/en/news/All/Articles/2024/November/cosmic-echoes