Longest day a chance to watch the sky

THE southern solstice is approaching, and community members are being invited to observe the event at the Ballarat Municipal Observatory and Museum.

On Friday 22 December, presentations, outside viewings, including a safe observation of the sun, and afternoon tea are planned.

“A lot of people don’t understand some of the finer details about our seasons, or the rotation of the earth, and from what point we measure our year,” Observatory manager Judith Bailey said.

“This is a good opportunity for people to understand it a little but more, and I hope they’ll come away knowing more about the seasons, the importance of the axis of the rotation of the earth, and how that affects our climate.”

Ms Bailey said the northern winter solstice is marked and celebrated across the world, but there isn’t the same acknowledgement of what happens in the southern hemisphere at the same time.

“Digital software still calls it the winter solstice here for us,” she said.

“It is misleading when you’re trying to teach people. It doesn’t equate with good scientific public relations and puts another stumbling block in the way of understanding it.

“Changing it is not an easy thing, but I’ve started the conversation.”

Attendees will see a Pipehenge structure, inspired by Stonehenge, in action which is a way of determining astronomical patterns in the daytime.

Ballarat’s Pipehenge, designed in New Zealand by a science educator, Eric Jackson, was the first ever to be used in Australia.

The event will kick off at 12.30pm with the presentation, also streamed online, before observations and afternoon tea between 1.15pm and 2.30pm. Visit ballaratobservatory.org.au to register.