2 minute read
‘SKA-Low down’ for National Science Week in Australia
from Contact 14
BY LIZ WILLIAMS (SKAO)
Each August, Australia holds National Science Week to encourage Australians of all ages to engage with science and promote science endeavours to the public. More than 1,000 events are held across the country and more than one million people participate in National Science Week activities.
This year, the SKAO partnered with CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, and the Museum of Geraldton to host a community event in Geraldton – a Q&A-style panel with experts from the SKAO and CSIRO.
Geraldton is the “gateway” to the SKA-Low telescope as the nearest large regional town to the observatory site, and location of both the SKA-Low Engineering Operations Centre and CSIRO observatory support facility. Held at the Museum of Geraldton, around 60 people attended the event titled What’s the lowdown on the SKA-Low? It was an opportunity to talk with the local community about the SKA Observatory and the SKA project, and update them on the latest news now that construction is underway.
SKA-Low Telescope Director Dr Sarah Pearce and Procurement Specialist Nicole Robins were joined on the panel by CSIRO Space and Astronomy Director Dr Douglas Bock and MC Chris Brayton from the CSIRO observatory site entity team. The event included a presentation from Wajarri Yamaji representative Des Mongoo about how the Wajarri people – the Traditional Owners and native title holders of the site where the SKA-Low telescope is being built – are engaging with the SKA project in Australia.
The panel answered questions from the community that ranged from radio astronomy and how it works, to what makes the Murchison region one of the best places on Earth for radio astronomy, how the SKAO and CSIRO intend to engage in outreach with the Geraldton community, and what the plans are for local jobs across the lifetime of the project.
The evening also included stargazing with local astrophotographer Ken Lawson, and an unexpected sighting of the International Space Station traversing the sky!
