Author: Farid Char
Affiliation: Center of Astronomy, University of Antofagasta
Country: Chile
Title: A multicultural constellation viewfinder
When we teach about the night sky, the standard way is to identify the current constellations, (i.e, from those 88 officially recognized by the IAU). Identifying constellations is not easy for the beginner, but many tools are available today, from physical stellar charts to virtual planispheres and other resources normally used for astrotourism (e.g. green laser pointers).
From the viewpoint of an inclusive astronomy education, it is possible to identify some needs that can be addressed, in order to maximize our impact as educators:
1) a didactic and versatile tool to help beginners and kids to recognize constellations.
2) a lack of tools not centered in “our” constellations, but also including other inventions from ancient cultures, specifically in regions with strong presence of indigenous or descendants.
Having identified that, living in a place with access to clear skies (north of Chile) and some communities with indigenous roots (atacame–os people), the author developed an innovative tool, able to not only help to visualize the (Southern) constellations, but also an inclusive way to promote astronomy for underrepresented audiences in my region.
The result was a set of constellation viewfinders, made with acrylic and using a laser cutter, to represent the night sky through a transparent ÒwindowÓ. But what makes this tool different? It is able to represent not only the modern figures, but also the ancient, “dark constellations” of the Inca culture (those in absence of stars and representing animals in the Milky Way, such as a serpent, a fox, etc.). The Incas were disseminated in several countries (Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia), being an powerful influence for them in the past, and one of the most important examples is the shared approach to the night sky. This makes this project a good way to preserve our cultural heritage and a valuable resource, in terms of inclusivity.
This work reveal the origins of this tool and its possible applications.
References:
[1]: Urton, Gary. “Animals and Astronomy in the Quechua Universe”. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. Vol. 125, No. 2., 1981, p. 110-127.
[2]: Kimura, K. et al. “Approaching Astronomy Education from the Outside of the Planetarium. Constellation Camera: i-CAN”. Proceedings of the 19th
International Planetarium Society Conference, 2008, p. 129-131.