The Burunh Program
News
National Indigenous Space Academy (NISA)
We are thrilled to support the National Indigenous Space Academy (NISA) at Monash University. This program paves the way for First Nations STEM students across Australia to learn at international space and jet laboratories in the US and UK. Led by Professor Christopher Lawrence and supported by the Australian Space Agency, the Academy provides a rich education and research in space and space robotics. Indigenous students selected from undergraduate and postgraduate programs in STEM disciplines at any university in Australia will be mentored by experts from world leading laboratories while working on unique projects such as space missions, rovers, robotics for unexplored ocean worlds, robot perception control, AI and path planning.
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Learn more here: https://www.monash.edu/engineering/nisa
Public Talk: Aboriginal observations of variable stars
Wednesday, 11 February from 20:00–22:30 at Mueller Hall (Melbourne Observatory). During this free public talk, sponsored by the Astronomical Society of Victoria, A/Prof Duane Hamacher will speak about how Aboriginal Australians have kept detailed oral records of variable stars and assigned them meaning. In this talk, Duane will detail the process of conducting this research, showcasing the methods and challenges of analysing information that comes from both scientific and cultural perspectives.
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Video here: https://www.youtube.com/live/jqbiLRWma7Y?si=4hb8IvljLFZZ65Zv
New Laby Research Scholars Join Us
We welcome Leisha Allen and Phoebe Keen as they undertake summer research projects as part of the School of Physics' Laby Scholars Program.
Leisha will examine historical accounts of transient astronomical and atmospheric phenomena, while Phoebe will study early modern apocalyptic visionaries of astronomical phenomena.
The Burunh Program for Cultural & Indigenous Astronomy is offering courses at the University of Melbourne in 2026, including Astronomy in World History, Indigenous Astronomy, Astronomy and Society in the Space Age, and Archaeoastronomy.
Our new Minor in Cultural Astronomy for the Bachelor of Arts degree will be available in 2027!
In a new article, published in The Conversation on Christmas Day, Burunh Director Duane Hamacher and USQ Astrophysicist Jonti Horner discussed some of the proposed explanations of the Christmas Star.
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Image: Adoration of the Magi by Florentine painter Giotto di Bondone (1267–1337).
24th Australian Space Research Conference
The Burunh team made a significant contribution to the 24th ASRC meeting in Melbourne by delivering several papers and winning an award! Harriet Hurley, Casey Domingo, Danton Prem Balan Weil, Dwi Yuna, Jack Murray, and Dr Shea Esterling delivered amazing talks on topics ranging from space ethics to astrotourism to Indigenous astronomy.​
The talk "Involving the Community in Space Education & Practices” won the award for best presentation. Well done Casey and Harriet!
We were saddened to hear of the passing of Dr Hugh Cairns, a theologian and scholar who published several papers on Aboriginal Astronomy in the 1990s, as well as co-authoring two groundbreaking books on Wardaman astronomy with Uncle Yidumduma Bill Harney: Dark Sparklers and Four Circles.
We send our deepest condolences.
We are thrilled to see Trevor Leaman graduate with his PhD at the University of New South Wales with a thesis on Wiradjuri astronomy. Supported by Palawa woman Tina Leaman, Trevor has been working on his doctorate since 2014. Trevor earned a degree in biology, diplomas in forestry and engineering, and a Masters degree in astronomy.
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Congratulations Dr Leaman!