Houtman 400+ Southern Cross Award
Sponsored by Batavia Coast Maritime Heritage Association Inc.
Sponsored by Batavia Coast Maritime Heritage Association Inc.
In 2019, a special award was be presented in the Astrophotography Exhibition, the Houtman 400+ Southern Cross Award, and $300 prize voucher. Any images that depict an aspect of the Southern Cross (“Crux”) constellation were eligible for the award. 2019 marks the 400th anniversary of Frederik de Houtman and Jacob D’Edel “discovering” the southwest corner of the Australian continent. Frederik’s history goes back well before that, in particular, with his role in the plotting of the southern hemisphere stars, including the Southern Cross, by Houtman and Keyser in the late 1500s.
Houtman published his astronomical records as an appendix to a Dutch-Malay-Malagasy ‘dictionary’ in 1603, following his release from prison in Aceh, Indonesia. The actual observations were probably made by Keyser and Houtman in 1596 while they were wind-bound on Madagascar with the first Dutch fleet to the East Indies. Keyser was the chief navigator, but he died soon after they reached Bantam, Indonesia. The observations would all have been done and measured with an astrolabe or cross-staff. There were no telescopes at that time. Ian Ridpath gives credit to Houtman alongside Keyser as the first to plot the constellations of the southern hemisphere. The Southern Cross was previously recognised as the ‘Spanish Cross’.
The Houtman 400 anniversary provides a great opportunity to highlight this period in astronomical history. Houtman’s remarkable life is the subject of a biography, currently being prepared by Dr Howard Gray, chair of the Batavia Coast Maritime Heritage Association Inc.
As part of the Houtman 400 commemorations, a festival is planned for 19-29 July 2019, which highlights the two sides of this Dutch discovery – the other side being the people on the already inhabited continent. Hence the festival title “Balayi – Open Your Eyes!” Balayi is a ‘watch-out’ cry in Yamatji, and ‘open your eyes’ is a play on the word ‘Abrolhos’ which is commonly taken to be derived from the Portuguese meaning ‘keep your eyes open – sharp objects’ (and hence Houtman Abrolhos Islands first discovered by Houtman during the night of 29th July 1619).
Houtman published his astronomical records as an appendix to a Dutch-Malay-Malagasy ‘dictionary’ in 1603, following his release from prison in Aceh, Indonesia. The actual observations were probably made by Keyser and Houtman in 1596 while they were wind-bound on Madagascar with the first Dutch fleet to the East Indies. Keyser was the chief navigator, but he died soon after they reached Bantam, Indonesia. The observations would all have been done and measured with an astrolabe or cross-staff. There were no telescopes at that time. Ian Ridpath gives credit to Houtman alongside Keyser as the first to plot the constellations of the southern hemisphere. The Southern Cross was previously recognised as the ‘Spanish Cross’.
The Houtman 400 anniversary provides a great opportunity to highlight this period in astronomical history. Houtman’s remarkable life is the subject of a biography, currently being prepared by Dr Howard Gray, chair of the Batavia Coast Maritime Heritage Association Inc.
As part of the Houtman 400 commemorations, a festival is planned for 19-29 July 2019, which highlights the two sides of this Dutch discovery – the other side being the people on the already inhabited continent. Hence the festival title “Balayi – Open Your Eyes!” Balayi is a ‘watch-out’ cry in Yamatji, and ‘open your eyes’ is a play on the word ‘Abrolhos’ which is commonly taken to be derived from the Portuguese meaning ‘keep your eyes open – sharp objects’ (and hence Houtman Abrolhos Islands first discovered by Houtman during the night of 29th July 1619).