The Seven Sisters - the worlds oldest story?

Astronomy is an important part of many Indigenous Australian cultures, with ancient Aboriginal astronomers familiar with eclipses, tides, and the motion of the planets. Particularly important in many cultures were the Pleiades (Seven Sisters) who were seen as seven girls chased by the lusty young man in Orion. The ancient Greeks said that the Seven Sisters cluster of stars were a group of girls, chased by Orion. But virtually the same story is told by the ancient Greeks, and many other cultures. How come this same story appears in different cultures which have had no contact since we all left Africa about 100,000 years ago. Can we trace this story back to our ancestors in Africa around 100,000 BC?

Prof Ray Norris

Ray Norris is a semi-retired Professor and an Emeritus Fellow at CSIRO Space & Astronomy, who researches the evolution of the Universe, and also studies the astronomy of Aboriginal Australians. He has about 400 radio and TV appearances, featured in the stage show "The First Astronomers" with an Aboriginal elder, and has written the novel "Graven Images". He was educated at Cambridge University, and University of Manchester, UK, and moved to Australia to join CSIRO, where he became Head of Astrophysics, then Deputy Director of the Australia Telescope, and then Director of the Australian Astronomy Major National Research Facility. He initiated the international EMU project to study the evolution of galaxies and led the EMU team that discovered the mysterious ORCs (or Odd Radio Circles) that are still unexplained. He also studies the astronomy of Indigenous Australians and is fascinated by their many intellectual achievements as they sought to understand their Universe.

This will be an online presentation, but members and guests are invited to join us at the Green Point Observatory to view on the big screen.