I put the stars on the ground

Permanent event at the MAAS in Ultima, Australia

28 October 2024

NSW Government Astronomer and Director of Sydney Observatory Harley Wood bottling wine in the Observatory courtyard with family and friends, 1972. Courtesy of Powerhouse

I put the stars on the ground highlights first nations custodianship to Sky Country and illustrates the site’s evolution into a public educational space and museum.

The exhibition honours the rich knowledge of First Nations Astronomy, navigation and seasonal patterns shared for millennia through art, songs, stories and ceremonies. It features a selection of works and star maps by Gail Mabo, ceramic pieces illustrating Waŋupini (cloud) stories by Bulthirrirri Wunuŋmurra and Songlines of our universe, an original soundscape by William Barton and Veronique Serret.

The newly restored Residential Wing at Sydney Observatory also houses Powerhouse collection objects and curated images depicting domestic life and scientific work on Observatory Hill across 100 years, from 1870–1907 when NSW Government Astronomer Henry Chamberlain Russell and his family lived at Observatory Hill, to 1941–1974, when Sydney Observatory Director Harley Wood and his family resided at the Observatory.

MAAS

MAAS is the largest museum group in Australia. It sits at the intersection of the arts, design, science and technology and plays a critical role in engaging communities with contemporary ideas and issues. It is custodian to more than half a million objects of national and international significance and is considered one of the finest and most diverse collections in Australia.

Museum profile

Location

Ultima, Australia

Harley, Chris, Una and Ros Wood pose in front of the astrographic dome, about 1950. Courtesy of Powerhouse

Photograph depicting the installation of a Grubb Parsons Plate Measuring machine at Sydney Observatory. Courtesy of Powerhouse

From 1825, flags are used to communicate information across the waterways – from South Head to Parramatta. Almost two centuries later, a replica of the original flagstaff flies an arrangements of flags. Courtesy of Powerhouse

Harley, Chris, Una and Ros Wood pose in front of the astrographic dome, about 1950. Courtesy of Powerhouse
Photograph depicting the installation of a Grubb Parsons Plate Measuring machine at Sydney Observatory. Courtesy of Powerhouse
From 1825, flags are used to communicate information across the waterways – from South Head to Parramatta. Almost two centuries later, a replica of the original flagstaff flies an arrangements of flags. Courtesy of Powerhouse

Photograph depicting the installation of a Grubb Parsons Plate Measuring machine at Sydney Observatory. Courtesy of Powerhouse
From 1825, flags are used to communicate information across the waterways – from South Head to Parramatta. Almost two centuries later, a replica of the original flagstaff flies an arrangements of flags. Courtesy of Powerhouse
Harley, Chris, Una and Ros Wood pose in front of the astrographic dome, about 1950. Courtesy of Powerhouse