Social Science Discovery presents “Under the Same Stars: The Night Sky – Humanity’s Original Information System,” featuring Winnie Li, professor and chair of the Data Management & Analysis Program. Take a journey through the night sky and explore how cultures have transformed the same stars into stories, maps, and knowledge.
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Social Science Discovery: “Under the Same Stars”
Social Science Discovery presents “Under the Same Stars: The Night Sky – Humanity’s Original Information System,” featuring Winnie Li, professor and chair of the Data Management & Analysis Program.
Take a journey through the night sky and explore how cultures have transformed the same stars into stories, maps, and knowledge.
Time: 3-4:45 PM
Date: Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026
Locations:
• 3-3:45 PM – Presentation in B-104
• 4-4:45 PM – Planetarium show in B-244
Event Details
Long before GPS, digital calendars, and computers, people looked to the stars to navigate, track the seasons, and understand the world around them. How did different cultures transmute the same night sky into stories, maps, and knowledge?
Part I: The Night Sky – Humanity’s First Information System
Let’s take an engaging, illustrated presentation exploring how civilizations observed, organized, and interpreted the heavens. From ancient Chinese star charts and Greek mythology to Babylonian astronomical records and Pacific navigation traditions, the presentation will examine how people identified patterns, preserved knowledge, and shared it across generations.
Participants will also explore how these practices connect with the ways we organize and work with information today.
Part II: Under the Same Stars – One Sky, Many Cultures, Endless Stories
Following a short break, continue the experience in the Bellevue College Planetarium for an immersive journey through the night sky.
Featuring primarily East Asian traditions alongside stories from other cultures, the program will explore celestial emperors, dragons, star-crossed lovers, and the stars that guided travelers across oceans and continents.
No astronomy or data science background is required — just bring your curiosity and discover a new way to look at the night sky.
Special thanks to the Astronomy faculty team in the School of Science for providing access to the Bellevue College Planetarium for this event.
Last Updated September 25, 2026