Greek History & Culture Seminars – The significance of the preservation of the night sky

For millennia, humanity has looked up successful awe astatine the nighttime sky, uncovering successful its soundless quality a profound root of inspiration. This celestial canvas has fueled our top achievements successful poetry, philosophy, religion, and astronomy. Today, this shared practice is nether menace from the pervasive glow of airy pollution.

This presumption volition archetypal quantify the consequences of this loss, from wasted vigor and damaged ecosystems to compromised quality health. But beyond these tangible effects lies a deeper, intangible crisis: a taste severance from a beingness that has ever guided us. We volition reason that reclaiming the nighttime is indispensable to preserving our corporate story. Finally, we volition construe interest into action, offering a pragmatic suite of strategies to reconstruct the stars and guarantee this past wellspring of wonderment endures for generations to come.

BIO

Dr Margarita Metaxa is simply a Greek astronomer who has contributed importantly to planetary astronomy acquisition and outreach. A subordinate of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) since 2003, she has been progressive connected assorted commissions. She introduced Greece’s archetypal Astrophysics Summer Schools astatine the National Observatory of Athens (1996) and archetypal Astrobiology courses (2023).  Currently she is IAU National Outreach Coordinator (NOC) for Greece (2024-2027).

She has coordinated and participated successful large projects for the IAU, ESO, MINERVA, and UNESCO. Her probe interests see STEAM education, and successful 2023 she implemented a NASA-based abstraction programme successful Arsakeia schools. Her awards see the Silver Prize successful the European Awards for Lifelong Learning and designation from DarkSky International for her pioneer enactment connected airy pollution. She has implicit 50 publications and has presented astatine conferences worldwide.

Event Details:
When: Tuesday 23 September 2025, 7pm
Speaker: Dr Margarita Metaxa
Seminar: The value of the preservation of the nighttime sky
Where: The Greek Center, Mezzanine Level, 168 Lonsdale St., Melbourne
Language: English