Navigating with the Night Sky
Event details
29 August 2024, 7pm
Session duration: 2hrs with a short tea/coffee break
Cost: $35 per person
Astronomy Lecturer: Martin Lewicki
For ages: 16+ years
29 August 2024
Since the earliest times humans have learned how to find directions and navigate by sighting celestial bodies in the night sky. These skills enabled us to navigate around the globe for exploration and aid survival. Even some species of animals are now known to find their directions from celestial clues that too, aid in their survival. In this one-night course, we will cover the basics of finding directions using the constellations, the Sun, Moon and planets with simple tools and rules you can recreationally use yourself. You will learn to find your directions whether in rural or cities. In this day of ubiquitous GPS navigation at our fingertips we will learn why modern navies around the world are re-introducing old fashion sextants on board their ships and now even on board the International Space Station to complement their GPS systems.
*This event is for audiences 16 years and above.
