Ngarlbugala 2023 Australian SKA Office update
Reflections on a wonderful and busy year!
This past year has been busy and exciting for the Australian SKA Office since construction started. We’ve been able to support a range of events that showcased Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, the CSIRO Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory, the SKA project and shared Wajarri culture.
These were events such as the launch of the Beyond the Milky Way virtual reality adventure at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra, the Australian Academy of Science’s Looking back, moving forward: Indigenous knowledges informing our modern world (also in Canberra), Astrofest in Perth, and most recently the annual Allison-Levick lecture at Macquarie University in Sydney.
All of this was done while working closely with the Wajarri Yamaji under the Indigenous Land Use Agreement and with CSIRO.
A silver metal structure shaped like a Christmas-tree decorated with tinsel and baubles sits next to a banner describing it as an antenna from the SKA-Low telescope.
Model SKA low-frequency antenna on display for the holidays at Industry House in Canberra. Credit: Australian SKA Office
As we enter the festive season over at the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Canberra staff will be all too familiar with our model SKA low-frequency antenna situated in the foyer of Industry House, the department’s headquarters. For the past few years, it has been transformed into the Department’s ‘Christmas tree’ for the holiday season, and this year our volunteers went all out using existing and hand-made decorations, with tree topper of both Santa hat and reindeer ears.
From everyone in the Australian SKA Office, happy holidays and a happy New Year!
Caroline Quan, Acting General Manager Astronomy, Astronomy Branch, Department of Industry, Science and Resources