In honour of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, McMaster planetarium shows an immersive retelling of the celestial bear story
For a blend of culture and education, the William J. McCallion Planetarium presents The Celestial Bear: The Six Nations’ Night Sky.
The Celestial Bear is an annual showing of projected images containing rotating patterns in the night sky. This was produced in partnership with members of the Six Nations, McMaster University's Indigenous Studies Department and the W.J. McCallion Planetarium. It tells the story behind the Ursa Major constellation that Indigenous peoples have passed from generation to generation.
The Latin term Ursa Major, given to the constellation by European astronomists, means "Great Bear." Indigenous peoples who had also looked up at the stars with wonder have their own lore about the night sky. The planetarium and the producers of the show aimed to tell the Indigenous story behind this constellation which has been neglected by western society.
Robert Cockcroft is an associate professor in the department of physics and astronomy at McMaster University and the director of the W.J. McCallion Planetarium.
“One of the opportunities that have been really great is to work with Indigenous scholars . . . [i]ncluding Tom Deer, who is a Mohawk scholar and the person who approached us and said, ”Would you like to do a show that is based on a story around the Celestial Bear?”, and that was back in 2013,” said Cockcroft.
It was then that the idea for the Celestial Bear was first conceptualized. It officially launched in 2015.
“We’ve been showing it since 2015 and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation has only been around for its third year in a row. So every year its been happening, we’ve been doing it,” said Cockcroft.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was first observed as a federal statutory holiday on Sept. 30, 2021.
To thoughtfully create the showing, Tom Deer, Robert Cockcroft, David Moses and professor Rick Monture who are two other Indigenous scholars and Sarah Symons, the former director of the W.J. McCallion Planetarium worked collaboratively together.
“The five of us worked together and co-produced the Celestial Bear, which today still remains the most requested show that we have,” said Cockcroft.
Cockcroft spoke about how they thought it was of great importance to include Indigenous voices in the production process.
“None of our presenters are Indigenous. We felt it was crucial to have Tom’s voice represent the story,” said Cockcroft.
None of our presenters are Indigenous. We felt it was crucial to have Tom's voice represent the story.
Robert Cockcroft, Director
W.J. McCallion Planetarium, McMaster University
This decision not only allows for a faithful retelling of the narrative but also respects the cultural significance of the story.
The show’s structure is unique compared to other planetarium offerings. The Celestial Bear includes both live and recorded segments to authentically represent the storytelling tradition. The recordings, featuring Tom Deer’s narration, incorporate Indigenous languages.
The concept of “two-eyed seeing,” articulated by Mi’kmaq Elder Albert Marshall, is woven throughout the show.
“[Mi’kmaq Elder Albert Marshall] says, if you can see with the perspective of one eye of Indigenous ways of knowing, and the other eye from the eurocentric or western ways of knowing, then you can help your understanding like you can deepen your understanding by knowing both perspectives. It’s not one or the other, but by having both, it really helps,” explained Cockcroft.
If you can see with the perspective of one eye of indigenous ways of knowing, and the other eye from the eurocentric or western ways of knowing. Then you can help your understanding like you can deepen your understanding by knowing both perspectives. It's not one or the other, but by having both, it really helps.
Robert Cockcroft, Director
W.J. McCallion Planetarium, McMaster University
“In any one year, about 10 to 15 per cent of the requests we get are for the Celestial Bear. So that’s about 40 to 50 shows per year,” said Cockcroft. This popularity reflects a growing interest in Indigenous stories and perspectives within educational settings.
The planetarium is also preparing to launch a new show, “The 7 Dances”, later this fall, in partnership with Tom Deer. This upcoming presentation aims to further explore Indigenous stories and their connections to the night sky.
Tickets for The Celestial Bear are available on the McCallion Planetarium website, with all proceeds going to a local Indigenous charity. This showing is both an opportunity to learn about Indigenous history and storytelling and to reflect on the erasure of Indigenous stories by western society.
The showing for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation will take place Sept. 30, from 8:15 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. in the W.J. McCallion Planetarium in the Burke Science Building.
Department of Physics and Astronomy purchased over half a million eclipse viewing glasses, hosted public lectures and a viewing party for the Apr. 8 total solar eclipse
Ahead of the total solar eclipse on Apr. 8, the Department of Physics and Astronomy at McMaster University was busy preparing plans to engage all of Hamilton with the rare astronomical event.
The eclipse is the first of its kind to happen over Hamilton since Jan. 1925. The next total solar eclipse over Hamilton will not occur until 2144.
In a webinar live streamed in November 2023, Laura Parker, a professor and university scholar in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at McMaster, explained how total solar eclipses happen and why they are so rare.
Parker explained that a total solar eclipse is when the moon passes in front of the Earth and completely blocks out the sun over a certain area. She explained that lunar eclipses, when the moon passes behind and is blocked by the Earth, can be seen far more frequently from anywhere on our planet as the Earth is much larger than the moon and is more likely to completely block sunlight from reaching the moon.
In contrast, the moon is much smaller and does not cast a total shadow on the whole Earth during a solar eclipse. “The area of the earth which experiences a total solar eclipse when these things happen is pretty small” said Parker.
The area of the Earth which experiences a total solar eclipse when these things happen is pretty small.
Laura Parker, Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy McMaster University
Parker elaborated that when a solar eclipse does happen, a much greater area of Earth can witness a partial solar eclipse, meaning that the moon only partially blocks out the sun from that point of view. She explained that it is because the path of totality, the area of the Earth for which the entire sun is blocked, is so small that total solar eclipses are such rare events for any given place on the planet.
As they are such rare events, many within the path of totality were watching the eclipse and many who reside outside of the path travelled to cities like Hamilton to view it. However, as always looking directly at the sun causes damage to one’s eyes and so special viewing glasses that reduce the intensity of light needed to be worn to watch the eclipse progress.
For this reason, McMaster purchased more than 600,000 pairs of viewing glasses for the residents of Hamilton. McMaster partnered with local Hamilton libraries to distribute the glasses to residents. Glasses were also distributed to public libraries in Brantford, Burlington, Haldimand County and the Six Nations Public Library. Glasses were also available for students to pick up from McMaster’s libraries.
McMaster purchased more than 600,000 pairs of viewing glasses for the residents of Hamilton.
In addition, the Department of Physics and Astronomy hosted several lectures about total solar eclipses that were free to attend and open to the public, where attendees could also pick up a pair of viewing glasses.
Finally, on Apr. 8 from 1 to 5 p.m., a viewing party open to McMaster faculty, students, staff and alumni was held at the Ron Joyce Stadium.
By: Alannah DeAngelis, Contributor
Dates can be a fun way to get to know your partner better and try new things together. Between school, catching up on all your Netflix shows and hanging out with your friends, it can be tough to make time for date nights. Try out these five date ideas where you can stay on campus and avoid breaking the bank!
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Planetarium Show
The W. J. McCallion Planetarium, in the basement of BSB, is an out-of-this world date idea! Shows run Wednesday nights and there is a new theme each week. Learn about outer space, stars, planets, comets and more. For more information, check out the McMaster Planetarium website.
Cost: $7 per person.
Photo by Matty Flader / Photo Reporter
Video Game Room in Lyons New Media Centre
Get your game on in the Video Games room on the 4th floor of Mills to find out which of you is the “Mario Kart” champion! There are five game consoles that you can choose from: Wii, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3 and PS4. They offer many games to play, all of which are available to rent for free. Bookings for this space can be made for up to 2 hours per day for all McMaster students.
Cost: Free! Just bring your student card to rent the controllers and games.
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McMaster Museum of Art
Check out some cool art with your partner at the McMaster Museum of Art right on campus. The museum is recognized internationally for its European paintings, drawings and prints. It is also known for its specialist collection of early 20th century German prints. This highly notable museum is just steps away from the Student Centre.
Cost: Pay what you can (suggested donation is $2).
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Trivia Night at the Phoenix
Test your knowledge at the Phoenix Bar and Grill’s Trivia Night, which happens every Tuesday at 7 p.m.. The theme changes each week, so you are sure to never be bored. Top teams will win gift cards to the Phoenix; perfect to use for another date night!
Cost: Free when you purchase food or drinks.
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Hike at Cootes
McMaster is surrounded by beautiful hiking trails with breathtaking views. Go for a hike at Cootes (start at the trail behind the Alpine tower) and explore what nature has to offer in McMaster’s backyard. Notably, the Sassafrass trail includes a lookout platform onto Lake Ontario. Who knows, maybe you will even see some deer along the way!
Cost: Free!
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By: Andrew Mrozowski
Big cities are beautifully illuminated at night, however one drawback is that it’s not often you can look up at the night sky and see constellations and planets. Hamilton is unique as it not only features a lot of green spaces that set the scene perfectly for stargazers, but also has a dedicated group of astronomers to keep the interest as alive as the stars in the sky.
One group that takes advantage of the clear, starry nights is the Hamilton Amateur Astronomers. The non-profit organization is the Canada’s largest independent astronomy club and is made up of 200 members who range from beginner to expert level astronomers.
“We strive to further not just the understanding of this fascinating science but also, and most importantly, the enjoyment of it,” said John Gauvreau, chair of the HAA.
Through free monthly events, the HAA holds meetings that are open to the public. At each of these events, a speaker showcases a presentation on astronomy or a related topic.
January 20/21 lunar eclipse shot during maximum at approximately 12:14AM from #BurlON. #LunarEclipse2019 #HamOnt #moon pic.twitter.com/VduPvVh3KK
— HAA (@HAATweet) January 21, 2019
Kevin Salwach, a member of the HAA since 2009, presented A Step Back and a Look Up on March 8. Since the event was catered towards the general public, Salwach dropped all technical aspects of astronomy and highlighted the importance of amateur astronomy. He encouraged attendees to take a look at the bigger picture of the universe.
“I find stargazing to be one of the most humbling and relaxing hobbies out there. There is something about sitting under a clear, dark sky that brings me complete peace of mind,” said Salwach.
Starting from a young age, Salwach found himself fascinated with the world of astronomy after visiting the William J. McCallion Planetarium at the Burke Science Building on campus.
“I remember the student doing the presentation pointing out Orion’s belt on the projector, and then going home later that night and seeing the belt in the night sky with my own eyes got me hooked. I’ve been going back every Wednesday ever since,” said Salwach.
Originally opening in 1954, the Planetarium was the conception of William McCallion, a professor in the department of physics and astronomy. Before finding its permanent home in the basement of BSB in room 149, an old war-surplus parachute was hung from the ceiling and used as a planetarium dome. The planetarium was the first of its kind in Ontario to offer public shows.
Featuring two shows every Wednesday night, graduate students who are studying astronomy create and design a one-hour show on the topic of their choice.
Two upcoming shows at the planetarium are based on pop-culture. One show is set around the Star Trek universe. Attendees will be taken around the universe to explore different stellar objects and phenomenon that have been featured in the show. The other is set around the theme of Harry Potter as many names of the book’s characters are inspired by the field of astronomy.
For PhD candidate and manager of the planetarium, Ian Roberts, the space has become a second home during his time at McMaster.
“For me, I think it’s a totally unique experience — something that you are not going to get a chance to do in many places, to come in here when a show is going, it’s totally dark [in the room],”said Roberts. “The first time the night sky comes up, it is completely amazing. It’s very striking. Getting the opportunity to come to a facility like this is something that is super unique.” he added.
Between the McCallion Planetarium at McMaster as well as the numerous other events that the Hamilton Amateur Astronomers run every month, there is room for anybody to study the night sky, whether they have a general interest or are aspiring astronomers themselves.
“Anyone can go out and take a look at the night sky, it belongs to all of us. Especially for a university student who is bogged down with study and schoolwork, stargazing is a nice repose to the stress of school,” said Salwach.
There’s a lot of life down here on Earth, but if you take a look up, you will be introduced to a brand-new world filled with wonder and awe that is sure to strike your curiosity.
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