By Roselyn Fauth
The playground at Caroline Bay offers an engaging and hands-on opportunity for people to learn about celestial south and the role of stars, particularly the Māhutonga Southern Cross, in navigation.
Caroline Bay Playground could also be used as an open-air classroom. Here, the focus isn't just on fun; it's an opportunity to delve into the mysteries of the night sky. This stellar adventure begins in the classroom, where lessons unravel the secrets of stars and moon phases, laying the foundation for understanding celestial objects. Students are introduced to the Māhutonga Southern Cross and its trusty companions, Alpha Centauri and Beta Centauri, which guided travelers across the seas.
You could visit the playground under the night sky and practice finding the Southern Cross, a unique constellation resembling a cross or kite. Guided by the Pointer Stars, Alpha Centauri and Beta Centauri, you could learn how people use the stars to find celestial south to navigate to their destination. While this method provides an approximate direction, true south may deviate, necessitating the use of a magnetic compass. This harmonious blend of classroom theory and playground practice creates an immersive experience that connects people with the night sky's historical significance.
But Caroline Bay's celestial education doesn't end there. It explores the cultural significance of moon phases in various societies, such as the Polynesians who meticulously scheduled their activities around lunar changes. The Māori lunar calendar, Maramataka, intricately weaves lunar phases into daily life, ensuring activities align with celestial rhythms. The Southern Cross, a constellation rich in cultural symbolism, holds diverse meanings: as Te Punga for Tainui Māori, a symbol of divine blessing for European voyagers, and even gracing Brazil's flag.
Caroline Bay Playground offers an educational, entertaining, and stellar experience that breathes life into the realms of astronomy and navigation. Whether you're an aspiring stargazer or a curious wanderer, Caroline Bay extends an invitation to explore the cosmos right here on Earth. Come and discover the universe's secrets under the canopy of stars at Caroline Bay Playground.
The Southern Cross has long been a celestial landmark for intrepid explorers and travelers south of the equator. It has historically served as an essential navigational guide: two of its major stars form a line that points to the South Pole. The Southern Cross is also featured in the flags of several Southern Hemisphere countries.
- Identify the Southern Cross (Crux) constellation.
- Locate the Pointer Stars (Alpha Centauri and Beta Centauri).
- Use the Southern Cross and Pointer Stars to determine the approximate direction of celestial south.
- Understand the cultural significance of these celestial objects.
Māhutonga: (personal noun) Southern Cross, constellation Crux - a constellation seen in the southern skies. These are the stars depicted on the Aotearoa/New Zealand flag.
- Caroline Bay Playground: A Unique Learning Experience
- Stars in the Surfacing: Southern Cross and Pointers Included
- Children Can Stand on Star Patterns for Hands-On Learning
- Importance of Finding South in Pacific Navigation
- Ancient Seafarers' Reliance on Celestial Cues
- The Southern Cross and Pointers as Essential Guides
- The South Celestial Pole: A Crucial Reference Point
- Navigating Vast Pacific Waters with Stellar Guidance
- A Tribute to Indigenous and Early Explorers' Navigation
- Caroline Bay Playground: Melding Play and Education
- Igniting Curiosity and Appreciation for Celestial Navigation
Navigating the Southern Skies at Caroline Bay Playground
Using the Southern Cross (Crux) and the Pointer Stars (Alpha Centauri and Beta Centauri) to find celestial south when at sea is a useful navigational technique in the Southern Hemisphere. Here's how you can do it:
- Locate the Southern Cross (Crux): The Southern Cross is a distinctive constellation of five stars that looks like a small cross or kite-shaped pattern. It is one of the most prominent constellations in the southern sky and is usually visible on clear nights. The two stars on the long axis of the cross are called the "Pointer Stars" because they point the way to the Southern Cross.
- Identify the Pointer Stars: The two Pointer Stars are Alpha Centauri and Beta Centauri, which are part of the larger Centaurus constellation. They are relatively bright and close to each other.
- Imagine a Line from the Pointer Stars: Draw an imaginary line from Alpha Centauri to Beta Centauri, extending it for about four and a half times the distance between the two Pointer Stars. This line points in the general direction of the South Celestial Pole.
- Find the South Celestial Pole: The South Celestial Pole is the point in the southern sky around which all the stars appear to rotate due to the Earth's rotation. Celestial objects near this point neither rise nor set but appear to move in a circular motion. You can't see the pole itself, but it's the center of this rotation.
- Determine Celestial South: To find celestial south, extend the imaginary line created by the Pointer Stars (Alpha Centauri and Beta Centauri) towards the southern horizon. The point where this line intersects the horizon is approximately the direction of celestial south.
Use a Compass for True South: While this method gives you an approximate direction of celestial south, it's important to note that it may not align perfectly with true south, which is the direction towards the South Pole on Earth. To navigate accurately, you should also use a magnetic compass to adjust for magnetic variation and obtain the true south direction.
Remember that the position of the Southern Cross and the Pointer Stars will change throughout the night as the Earth rotates, so this method is most effective when they are relatively high above the southern horizon. Additionally, the accuracy of this method depends on your location and the time of year. Practice and familiarity with the night sky are essential for successful navigation using celestial objects.
Moon Phases:
- European cultures recognize up to 8 Moon phases, including Full, Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter, Waning Crescent, New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, and Waxing Gibbous.
- Polynesians have a much more nuanced system, with as many as 32 Moon phases, and an average of 30.
Maramataka and Tides:
- Maramataka, the Polynesian lunar calendar, holds great importance for Polynesians as it influences the tides' ebbs and flows.
- Activities in ocean-faring civilizations, like fishing and planting, revolved around the Moon's visible changes, determining when they could be best undertaken based on the lunar cycle.
Māori and Time Measurement:
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Māori, along with other Polynesians, use the Moon for time measurement, with a day counted from sunset to sunset, following the Maramataka.
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There are over 40 regional variations of Maramataka in Aotearoa, reflecting the Moon's 29.53-day orbit, known as the synodic month.
Lunar Phases and Appearance:
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Lunar phases are determined by the shape of the directly sunlit portion of the Moon as observed from Earth.
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The synodic month, which averages 29.53 days, defines the period of lunar phases and relates to the Moon's orbit concerning the Sun and Earth.
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The Moon's appearance changes gradually over a synodic month as it orbits Earth and Earth orbits the Sun, altering the perspective from which we see the Moon.
Check them out in the video
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"How the Māori applied Marama’s thirty nights to fit in with the proper age of the moon has not been made clear. Some Māori authorities contend that the moon disappears underground and reappears after travelling for two days underground." - Te Takitimu, by A.H. and A.W. Reed
https://www.museumswellington.org.nz/matariki-the-maori-phases-of-the-moon/
Māori Astronomy and Ocean Navigation:
- Early Māori people possessed advanced astronomical knowledge, crucial for ocean navigation.
- Polynesian voyagers used the stars as reference points to navigate the vast Pacific Ocean, eventually settling in Aotearoa.
Māori Lunar Calendar - Te Maramataka:
- Māori astronomy is closely tied to Te Maramataka, the Māori lunar calendar.
- "Maramataka" translates to "the turning of the Moon," reflecting the significance of lunar phases.
Maramataka and Daily Life:
- Each day of the month in Māori culture was named based on the Moon's phase.
- Lunar information guided activities like fishing, gardening, and food gathering, designating certain days as suitable for specific tasks.
Puaka and Matariki:
- Puaka and Matariki are vital celestial events in Māori culture, recently revitalized.
- Celebrations of Puaka and Matariki serve as opportunities for family and friends to come together, reflect on the past year, and look forward to the future.
Māori New Year:
- Puaka and Matariki celebrations have become known as the Māori New Year, promoting cultural heritage and community gatherings.
- otagomuseum.nz/puaka-and-matariki
Print and create your own Maramataka calendar, adding the moon phases relevant to your hapū, iwi or location: https://legacy.allright.org.nz/resources/
Southern Cross
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crux
The name Crux is Latin for cross. It is the smallest of all 88 modern constellations. It has attained a high level of cultural significance in many Southern Hemisphere states and nations. There are four key stars: Acrux (the brightest and most southern star), Mimosa, Mimosa and Imai. The bright stars in Crux were known to the Ancient Greeks, where Ptolemy regarded them as part of the constellation Centaurus.
The South Celestial Pole is the point in the southern sky that the stars rotate around, moving in a circle around this point throughout the year. This means that, while the Southern Cross will change position in the sky throughout the year, it is always visible and can always be used to find south here in Aotearoa.
Photo by Geoff Cloake of the Southern Lights from Timaru Aoril 2023.
The South Celestial Pole is the point in the sky about which all the stars seen from the Southern Hemisphere rotate. The asterism has been used by navigators for centuries. Diagram show how to use the Southern Cross and the "Southern Pointers" starts to locate the south celestial pole.
- For the Tainui Māori of New Zealand, it represents Te Punga, the anchor of a great sky canoe. For Wairarapa Māori, the Southern Cross is Māhutonga, an opening for storm winds to escape through the Milky Way.
- The 16th-century European navigators who sailed into southern seas perceived it as a symbol of their Christian faith.
- The southern cross is also on Brazil's flag, it's called Cruzeiro do Sul.
- European voyagers in the late 15th century took it as a sign of divine blessing for their conquests.
The Southern Cross is a New Zealand national icon. The stars on the Flag represent the Southern Cross constellation, emphasising New Zealand's location in the South Pacific Ocean. The Union Jack in the top left-hand corner of the Flag recognises New Zealand's historical foundations as a former British colony and dominion. - mch.govt.nz/nz-identity
Evolution of New Zealand's National Flag:
- The design of New Zealand's national flag underwent a multi-year process before official approval in 1902.
- It traces back to 1865 when the British Government mandated that colonial vessels fly the Blue Ensign with the colony's seal or badge.
Initial Lack of Badge:
- New Zealand lacked a recognized badge at the time, resulting in its vessels flying the Blue Ensign without any markings, which drew British Government reprimand.
Early Proposal with Southern Cross:
- Mr. G. Eliott, Secretary of the General Post Office, initially proposed using the Southern Cross, represented by four five-pointed red stars with white borders, as New Zealand's badge, but this idea was rejected.
Inclusion of 'New Zealand':
- Instead, the words 'New Zealand' were added to the Blue Ensign, and later shortened to 'NZ' in red letters with white borders.
Governor Bowen's Directive:
- In 1869, Governor Sir George Bowen directed that the Southern Cross replace 'NZ' on the Blue Ensign, maintaining the four red stars with white borders to align with the Union Jack's colors.
Transition to National Flag:
- Although initially an official maritime flag, it gradually gained recognition on land and became New Zealand's de facto national flag.
In 1902, the flag received official recognition as the National Flag of New Zealand.