What is the Big Aussie Star Hunt?

The Big Aussie Star Hunt is an interactive project designed to teach you how to explore your night sky. There are three main sections of the site: the virtual tour, which is an online guide to seven objects in the southern sky; the outdoor tour, which is a set of sky maps and a guided audio tour designed for stargazing in the real night sky; and the Star Hunt Survey where you can rate the level of light pollution in your local area. 

If you complete the light pollution survey between 15 – 30 August 2009 you not only contribute to an Australia-wide map of star viewing locations but can enter our competition.

What are the aims of the project?

The main messages of the project are:

Basic astronomy – our night sky contains a myriad of amazing celestial objects. Learn about different types of celestial objects including stars, planets and galaxies and how to spot them in the night sky with the naked eye.

Indigenous astronomy – you may have heard of the Southern Cross and the Milky Way but do you know about our very own Indigenous constellation the Emu in the Sky? Explore the southern night sky through Indigenous stories.

Light pollution – around one in five people in the world cannot see the Milky Way! Rate light pollution in your area and find out about its impact on people and the environment.

How do I prepare my group for the Big Aussie Star Hunt?

The better prepared you are prior to the night the more likely it will run smoothly. Before you go out we recommend you familiarise your students with the constellations using the virtual tour, download and learn how to use the skymaps and other material in the outdoor tour sky pack, and prepare any material you may need such as red lights (see below).

You don't need binoculars or a telescope to participate in the Big Aussie Star Hunt – in fact you SHOULD NOT use these to do the light pollution survey (the point of the survey is to measure light pollution with the naked eye).

Discuss your plans early and thoroughly with other relevant staff and obtain all the required clearances in accordance with your school's policy for out-of-hours activities. 

When should I do the Big Aussie Star Hunt?

The best time to do the Big Aussie Star Hunt will be between 7 – 8 pm between 15 – 30 August 2009. This is the best time to see the constellations we've chosen because they will all be visible above the horizon (depending upon your level of light pollution). Your view won't be affected by moonlight  in the first week because the moon does not rise until much later in the night at that time.
Cloudy weather makes for lousy stargazing so check for local weather conditions on the Bureau of Meteorology website.

Please note some parts of Australia have had very bad weather during National Science Week, so we've extended the Big Aussie Star Hunt by one week to give everyone in Australia a better chance of seeing their night sky.

Where should I do the Big Aussie Star Hunt?

We'd like you to do the Big Aussie Star Hunt from as many locations as you can. The best place to find stars is from a darker location but remember we are also trying to rate light pollution levels all over Australia so we'd like as many people as possible to send us their results from both good and bad places to see the stars.

On the night

If you have clearly identified a meeting time, an end time and place then make sure you are there ahead of time. Once the students are gathered, check attendance and brief them as to expectations, behaviour and the rules for the night.

Do not use high powered torches or other sources of light during the event – this will affect your view of the night sky. Instead use small torches or headlamps covered with red cellophane to read the sky maps and preserve night vision.

Remember it will be DARK when you do your viewing so:

Wear light-coloured clothing suited to the climate.

Ensure your viewing area is smooth under foot, not close to roads or near the edge of balconies or other areas of danger.

You should have a clear range around which students can move and clear out-of-bounds areas. Students should move around in pairs or larger groups for safety.    

Is there a school's prize for entering the Big Aussie Star Hunt?

Yes. You could win $1000 of ABC Shop goodies for your school if you enter the competition as a school group. You can enter the competition each time your group makes an observation from a new site.

More information

You'll find more tips on how to plan a school astronomy night on the CSIRO Education website.

Discover more interactive programs and websites that will help your students explore the night sky on our tools page.

Learn more about the night sky, Indigenous astronomy and light pollution on our special features page.