The Emu In the Sky
Known as Gawarrgay to the Australian First Nations Kamilaroi people, the Celestial Emu describes how many First Nations people viewed the Milky Way.
Referred to as Gawarrgay in language of the Australian First Nations Kamilaroi people, the Celestial Emu describes how many First Nations people viewed the Milky Way—and how it was part of their way of passing on knowledge of the land and sky through many generations.
In the early part of the Milky Way Core season, the Emu rises from the horizon, standing proudly in the sky, as in this image. In the later part of the season, the Emu lies on its back, resting. The Emu’s head is the dark region of the sky, near to the Southern Cross, known as the Coalsack Nebula. In this image, the Coalsack Nebula is near the top right, with the body of the Emu extending towards the horizon in the bottom left, near the windmill.
Once you see the Emu, it becomes easy to spot, and becomes a way of navigating the features of the Milky Way.
This image was created near the township of Nimmitabel in southern NSW, Australia in May 2024.
Image Data
- C: Fujifilm X-T5
- L: Viltrox 13 mm F1.4 XF AF
- E: Lightroom, Photoshop and Radiant Photo
- S: MSM Nomad tracker
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