Speaking the Same Sky: Indonesia Astronomy Dictionary as a SEA Model
Avivah Yamani (a*), Wicak Soegijoko (a,b), Hakim L. Malasan (c,d), Ivan Lanin (e)

(a) langitselatan,
* avivah[at]langitselatan.com
(b) PT. Konsultan Satelit Indonesia,
(c) KK Astronomi, FMIPA, ITB,
(d) Prodi Sains Atmosfer dan Keplanetan, ITERA,
(e) Narabahasa

Abstract

Indonesian astronomy is growing quickly: new facilities are being built and opened, public interest is rising, and sky events now drive busy news cycles. To keep pace, we need a shared, reliable set of words. Without it, translations slow down, myths spread, and teachers, journalists, science communicators, public outreach officers, and the public encounter different terms for the same terminology. In education, a science dictionary provides a stable, curriculum-aligned reference that keeps textbooks, teacher training, and media on the same page. Clear, plain-language definitions and examples also lower cognitive load and support multilingual classrooms.

We present an end-to-end approach in Indonesia as a model for Southeast Asia. Stage 1 builds Kamus Astro (Astronomy Dictionary), a community glossary that compiles astronomy terminology, provides Indonesian terminology, and adds clear definitions. Stage 2 submits those terms to the Terminology Commission Meeting organized by the Language Agency (Badan Bahasa) under the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education of Indonesia, where linguists, scientists, and educators agree on precise, readable Indonesian terminology. Approved entries are submitted to PASTI, the national terminology platform, and will anchor an official Astronomy Dictionary maintained by Badan Bahasa. Formal terminology matters because it creates trusted references for classrooms, newsrooms, public talks, museum labels, and public-facing science communication. Standardized Indonesian terminology brings consistency across communities and the general public.

We invite SEAAN partners to collaborate on co-create bilingual/multilingual term packs, a shared rapid-response lexicon for eclipses, misinformation, basic astronomy, and facility news, and a light, cross-border process to keep updates aligned. The result is faster, clearer communication, and a strong bridge from research to classroom to media, built on common, well-documented language.

Keywords: astronomy terminology- astronomy dictionary- astronomy terminology- Kamus Astro- science communication

Topic: Public Outreach, Education, and Popularization of Astronomy