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City of Wollongong

Digital Stargazing program is now award-winning!

Monday 21 February 2022

We’re a bit a starstruck over Wollongong City Libraries’ online digital stargazing program! Starstruck - the unique digital stream has been recognised by NSW Public Libraries Association (NSWPLA) with an Innovation in Outreach Services Award 2021.

The Facebook live stream is hosted monthly by Program and Events Librarian Mitchell Crouch, who created the program during last year’s lockdown. With the library doors closed at the time due to COVID-19 restrictions, Starstruck provided residents with a fun way to connect with the library as well as learn something new – all from the comfort of their home.

The monthly half-hour program navigates the night skies with digital planetarium software Stellarium and shows participants what’s happening for the evening and the rest of the month. As it’s a live stream, people can ask Mitchell any burning questions.

With around 2,500 people tuning in since the first session in September 2021, Mitchell has said it has been a humbling response from the community.

“The idea for Starstruck was pitched when we realised, we’d be going back into lockdown. With my previous experiences, I knew I could put together something different as a virtual program that will be easily accessible,” Mitchell said.

“Looking at stars is such a universal human experience, so getting to share that with people and answer their questions makes me feel really privileged.

“There have been parents who watch with their children, experienced stargazers, and curious members of the public who have gone outside and said to me ‘Hey, I just identified a constellation for the first time!’ or ‘I’ve always loved stargazing but never knew what I was looking at.”

Every year NSWPLA, the peak body for public libraries in NSW, honours a number of libraries and staff across the state for their achievements within the public library sector. The Innovation in Outreach Services (IIOS) Awards recognise diverse high-quality programs and services provided by public libraries across New South Wales.

The Starstruck program won in the category for a Local Government Area (LGA) population over 100,000 for 2021.

With a background in science presenting and streaming along with a strong personal interest in astronomy, Mitchell has enjoyed sharing his interest with library members over the past few months.

“I’ve focused on many things in our streams like the Milky Way, how to find South and navigate using the Southern Cross, the phases of the moon, legends and stories about constellations, how planets are discovered and the life cycles of nebulae, stars, and black holes,

“I get a lot of questions about aliens and life on other planets, which is a pretty reasonable thing to wonder about! It’s great to have those discussions, share scientific findings and studies, and to be honest about the limitations of what we know for now.”

Want to take part in the award-winning Starstruck: Digital Stargazing in Wollongong? You don’t have to wait too long with the next livestream is on Thursday 24 February starting at 6pm. This month’s session will be a special one because for the first time we are collaborating with University of Wollongong’s Science Space.

Simply visit Wollongong City Libraries Facebook page. This is a free session and there is no need to sign up. You can also catch up with previous sessions online.


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