When appropriate, connect these concepts with indigenous narratives and myths.Teaches people about general concepts in astronomy – such as the size and time scales of the universe, the motion of the planets, etc.Put out an iterative resource such as a podcast which:.Additionally, the use of narratives in teaching astronomy-related content can make otherwise abstract concepts digestible and memorable. This enables people to learn from their local cultures and histories, providing an additional tool for creating meaning in life. Indigenous narratives: the experience of looking at the night sky can be enriched by making links to existing cultural narratives and myths surrounding constellations, cosmology.Low cost and accessible: even without the use of equipment such as telescopes, naked-eye star gazing is accessible to anyone who has access to reasonably dark skies.Social distance friendly: a group of people can observe the night sky while remaining at safe distances from one another, and lessons about the universe can be communicated over online platforms.In addition to the aforementioned qualities, several other features of astronomy stand out that would make it a useful coping mechanism: ‘Astronomy for Mental Health’ hopes to tap into these characteristics of astronomy in order to produce restorative effects and increase mental well-being. Astronomy lies at the intersection of these two phenomena-stargazing is a way for people to be exposed to natural environments, and perceiving and/or learning about the vastness of the universe is very often accompanied by an experience of awe.
Additionally, psychology research findings also show that an experience which elicits a sense of awe increases altruistic behavior in humans. In response to these problems, the project ‘Astronomy for Mental Health’ (part of the OAD Flagship on “Astronomy for Humanity”) aims to explore how various modes of astronomy, including stargazing and education, can be a viable tool for improving mental well-being.įindings in psychology research demonstrate that time spent in nature has positive effects on mental wellbeing, such as decreasing stress and increasing attention span. Moreover, the measures taken to decrease the spread of the virus such as lockdowns and restrictions on social interactions-while necessary-have drastically reduced the type and quantity of coping mechanisms available for people to take care of their mental health. The increase in social isolation, economic inequity, political unrest, and other stressors have only served to increase the prevalence of these illnesses in populations across the world. Astronomy for Mental Health in South Africa read moreĪstronomy for Mental Health is a project under the Flagship Theme: Science diplomacy through Astronomy: Celebrating our Common Humanity.Įven before the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety contributed significantly to the global burden of disease.