CAASTRO Astronomer-in-Residence program with Ayers Rock Resort
Ayers Rock Resort announce Astronomer-in-Residence program
Ayers Rock Resort, in partnership with CAASTRO, are delighted to announce a new Astronomer-in-Residence program commencing Saturday 7 June through to Friday 7 November 2014.
Free to all guests staying at Ayers Rock Resort, a series of Astronomy information sessions will be held at the Resort’s Town Square between 12:30pm and 2:30pm every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The resident Astronomer will entertain and engage guests in discussions about the stars, planets, cosmos, galaxy and the Big Bang theory.
The resident Astronomer will engage with the existing on-site Star Talk Team to impart knowledge and enhance existing guest experiences for activities including Sounds of Silence, Tali Wiru and Outback Sky Journeys so that guests will benefit long after the program is complete.
“We are delighted to announce our new Astronomer-in-Residence program which will further enhance the guest experience at the Resort by enlightening those already familiar with astronomy or those new to studying the wonder of the cosmos,” said Ray Stone, Voyages Executive General Manager Sales Marketing and Distribution.
“The spiritual heart of Australia also offers one of the best vantage points in the world to explore the galaxy with its low humidity and minimal light pollution – ideal conditions for Astronomy enthusiasts. We encourage all our guests to come along and meet with our Resort’s resident Astronomer,” said Ray.
Ayers Rock Resort will also hold an Uluru Astronomy Weekend, in partnership with CAASTRO, from Friday 22 to Sunday 24 August 2014, hosted by popular scientific personality Dr Karl Kruszelnicki.
“These two programs present an excellent opportunity for junior and senior Astronomers in CAASTRO to engage with the public and share their knowledge – while, at the same time, enjoy the incredibly clear skies and superb visibility of the night sky themselves.” said Professor Steven Tingay, the leader of CAASTRO Education & Outreach.
Event highlights include “Stellar Sounds of Silence”, a bush tucker inspired dining experience with a special tour of the outback night sky with Dr Karl, as well as an interactive lunch for astronomy enthusiasts “Panel Predictions” which provides a platform to ask all those burning questions, and a glamorous Studio 54 inspired Galaxy Star Ball.
For more information, visit www.ayersrockresort/events or call 1300 134 044.
About Ayers Rock Resort
Ayers Rock Resort provides a variety of accommodation from the premium Sails in the Desert, Award-winning Desert Gardens Hotel, self-contained Emu Walk Apartments, the authentic Outback Pioneer Hotel and Lodge and Ayers Rock Campground. Ayers Rock Resort is managed by Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia.
About Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia
Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC) and manages tourism and resorts on its behalf. Voyages offers unique experiences and cultural immersion in spectacular locations around Australia including Ayers Rock Resort in the Northern Territory, Home Valley Station in The Kimberley in Western Australia and the Mossman Gorge Centre, in Tropical North Queensland.
One of the key responsibilities of Voyages is to promote and sustain eco tourism, protecting pristine sites for many years to come. Voyages works collaboratively with local communities to assist them to exercise sustainable environmental tourism practices, respecting and supporting the local Indigenous cultures and offering employment and training opportunities to the local and broader Australian and Torres-Strait Islander Indigenous communities. Profits from all business activities are re-invested in the Indigenous and resort experiences and through the various training and development programs in place around Australia.
About CAASTRO
The ARC Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics is answering fundamental questions about the nature of the Universe, by developing innovative ways of processing enormous data-sets, and by providing a diverse set of opportunities for students and young researchers. CAASTRO aims to establish Australia as the world-leader in wide-field astronomy. CAASTRO is uniting the world’s top astronomers in a focused collaborative environment and is changing the way we understand the Cosmos.
CAASTRO is a collaboration between Curtin University, The University of Western Australia, the University of Sydney, the Australian National University, the University of Melbourne, Swinburne University of Technology and the University of Queensland. It is funded under the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence program and receives additional funding from the seven participating universities and the NSW State Government Science Leveraging Fund.