Cultural Knowledges of Astronomy: Indigenous Australian Astronomy

Astronomy is the study of stars, planets, and other objects in the universe.
Ancient cultures developed stories about the creation of the universe, its nature, creators, and the origin of Earth and humans.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have made detailed observations of the positions of stars, the Moon, and planets.
They use these observations to predict optimal times for hunting, fishing, and plant collection for food and medicine.
This knowledge is passed down through generations via stories, songs, petroglyphs, ochre paintings, and dance.

The Moon and planets appear within a narrow band in the sky, known as the zodiac to the ancient Greeks.
The positions of the Moon and planets are always close to the ecliptic.
The Yolŋu people of Arnhem Land refer to this path as the ‘Dreaming Road,’ symbolizing the journeys of celestial ancestors.
The Sun, Moon, and planets are viewed as celestial beings, with their interactions reflecting events in the sky.

The Yolŋu people explain the Sun’s movement using the story of Walu, the Sun-woman.
Walu lights a fire each morning (dawn) and travels across the sky from east to west with her torch.
She goes underground to return east for her morning camp.
Walu decorates herself with red ochre, and when the dust falls, it creates the red sunrise and sunset.
The Tiwi Islands people believe the Sun-woman is followed by the Moon-man with a smaller torch, accompanied by his four wives (Venus, Mars, Mercury, and Jupiter).

Retrograde motion is the apparent backward movement of a planet in the night sky over several weeks.
In Wardaman traditions, this motion is attributed to the planet spirit walking back along the Dreaming Road to visit friends.
A planetary conjunction is explained as planet spirits meeting and traveling together.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities understand the interactions between the Sun and the Moon.
They link these interactions to the phases of the Moon, changing tides, and solar/lunar eclipses.
Stories featuring the Sun-woman and Moon-man (or vice versa) explain the Moon's changing appearance.

The Yolngu people explain the lunar phases through the story of Ngalindi.
During the full Moon, Ngalindi is a fat, lazy man punished by his wives, who attack him with an axe, causing him to wane.
At the new Moon, Ngalindi dies and then rises after three days, waxing until he is full again.
A Palawa story from Tasmania describes the Sun-man and Moon-woman rising together, with the Sun-man moving faster.
The Sun-man shines more light on the Moon-woman each night, encouraging her to catch up, explaining the waxing Moon.

Torres Strait Islander people observe lunar phases to determine when to fish.
Spring tides make the water cloudy, hindering fishing; neap tides are preferred.
The optimal fishing times are during the Moon's first or third quarter.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people use astronomical indicators to predict environmental changes.
The appearance of specific stars or formations heralds seasons linked to animal behavior and plant cycles.
The brightness and clarity of stars also assist in predicting seasonal change.

The Emu in the Sky is seen in the Milky Way’s dark regions, outlining its body, head, and legs.
Its position relates to the breeding cycle of the emu on the ground.
The celestial emu's appearance signals the best time to gather emu eggs, a valuable food source.
A petroglyph of the emu exists in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, coinciding with the celestial emu's appearance.

The Pleiades star group is associated with various traditions across Australia.
On the east coast, their appearance before dawn marks the start of the winter whale migration from Antarctica.
Their setting at dawn indicates the whales' return to Antarctica with their calves.
In central Australia, the rising of the Pleiades at dawn signals the time to find dingo pups for warmth.
The Pleiades are also linked to the harvest of bush tomatoes, honey ants, and thorny devils.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander seasons differ from the four-season calendar used by migrants.
Observing celestial bodies has led to a deep understanding of environmental cycles.
Each season is marked by the emergence of specific stars or star groups.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people pass on their observations of stars, the Moon, and planets to predict hunting, fishing, and plant collection times.
This knowledge is conveyed through stories, songs, petroglyphs, ochre paintings, and dance.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people pass on their detailed observations of the relative positions of the stars, Moon and planets which they use to predict the best times for hunting, fishing and collecting plants for food and medicine, through the generations in the form of stories that are told or sung, or illustrated using petroglyphs, and ochre paintings and dance.
The two phases of the Moon that are traditionally considered the best for fishing are the third quarter and first quarter.
The events connected to the position of the Pleiades in the night sky for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples communities in the Central desert are dingo pups being born and bush tomatoes being ready for harvesting.