EMU DREAMING

An Introduction to Aboriginal Astronomy

(Temporary web page while we move to a new website)

This book gives you an easy-to-read introduction to Aboriginal Astronomy.

Each of the 400 different Aboriginal cultures in Australia has a distinct mythology, ceremonies, and art forms, some of which have a strong astronomical component. Many share common traditions such as the “emu in the sky” constellation of dark clouds, and stories about the Sun, Moon, Orion, and the Pleiades. Several use the rising and setting of particular stars to indicate the time to harvest a food source, and some link the Sun and Moon to tides, and even explain eclipses as a conjunction of the Sun and Moon.

Thse traditions reveal a depth and complexity of Aboriginal cultures which are not widely appreciated by outsiders. This book explores the wonderful mystical Aboriginal astronomical stories and traditions, and the way in which these are used for practical applications such as navigation and harvesting. It also describes the journey of exploration which is opening Western eyes to this treasury of ancient Aboriginal knowledge.

Click on the picture on the right to see a sample page of the book.

More information about the "Emu in the sky" image on the front cover can be found here .

 booklet

It's written by astrophysicist Prof. Ray Norris, and his wife Cilla, who have spent many years studying Aboriginal Astronomy.

Their research has included:

  • uncovering little-known academic manuscripts,
  • visiting Aboriginal sites throughout Australia, including the Sydney rock-art,
  • spending time with the Yolngu communities in Arnhem Land.

Purchasing this Book

You can buy the book from:

or from good booksellers.

If you have any questions, or if you would like a quote for wholesale quantities, please email Cilla@emudreaming.com

Other books by Ray

You may also be interested in an academic review paper written by Ray on Aboriginal Astronomy, which goes into much more detail, but is not an easy read! Download the free pdf.

Contents:

Emu Dreaming

An Introduction to Australian Aboriginal Astronomy

By Ray and Cilla Norris

ISBN 978-0-9806570-0-5

  • Introduction
  • The Milky Way and the Emu
  • The Magellanic Clouds
  • Sun, Moon, and Eclipses
  • Calendars and Constellations
  • Morning Star, Evening Star
  • Astronomical measurements
  • Conclusion

The book is A5 size (148mm x 210mm), has 30 pages (excluding endnotes and cover), is illustrated with 22 colour photos, and printed on high-quality gloss-finish paper..

About the authors

Ray Norris uses radio-telescopes to study the evolution of galaxies in the Universe. He was educated at Cambridge University, and University of Manchester, UK, and moved to Australia to join CSIRO, where he became Head of Astrophysics, Deputy Director of the Australia Telescope, and then Director of the Australian Astronomy Major National Research Facility. He initiated and led the international EMU project which uses ASKAP (Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder) 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 is now semi-retired, although his research output isn't. He was also a professor of Data Science at Western Sydney University, where he led projects to develop machine learning techniques to extract the science from the many petabytes of data generated by telescopes such as ASKAP. He has also held professorships at University of Tasmania, Swinburne University, and Macquarie University, and has supervised 28 PhD students. He also studies the astronomy of Indigenous Australians and is fascinated and inspired by their many intellectual achievements as they sought to understand their Universe.

Cilla Norris has been an artist, high school teacher, veterinary nurse, wildlife sanctuary guide, and wild-life carer. As well as working with Ray on Aboriginal Astronomy, she is known as an authority on the care and rehabilitation of possums, writes and teaches about possums, and worked as a volunteer for many years with the NSW Wildlife Information and Rescue Service (WIRES) and other groups.

Emu Dreaming is a registered Australian Business (ABN 19639499560), run by Cilla. The goal of Emu Dreaming is to promote outreach and research in Australian Aboriginal Astronomy.

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge and pay our respects to the traditional owners of the lands on which we live and work, particularly the Dharug and Gundungurra people, and to their elders past, present, and future.

This web site is dedicated to the hundreds of thousands of Indigenous Australians
who lost their lives after the British occupation of Australia in 1788.