As mental health challenges rise across South Africa, a pioneering research project is turning to an unexpected ally: the night sky.

Researchers from Stellenbosch University’s (SU) CoCREATE Health Hub (a niche in the Division of Health Systems and Public Health) and the International Astronomical Union Office of Astronomy for Development (IAU OAD) are uncovering how stargazing experiences can reduce stress, improve mood, and strengthen social connection.

With nearly 40% of South Africans showing symptoms of depression or anxiety, innovative and accessible approaches to mental wellbeing are urgently needed. The pioneering project, Astronomy for Mental Health, is the first of its kind in South Africa to scientifically explore how awe, nature immersion and “cosmic perspective-taking” influence emotional wellbeing.

Turning the night sky into a mental health tool

Led by Prof Lynn Hendricks, Dr Therese Fish, and Nikki Thomas of SU, together with Mr Dominic Vertue, Dr Charles Takalana, and Mr Kevin Govender (IAU OAD), the project examines how structured stargazing sessions – from local community gatherings to overnight astronomy retreats – can support mental health.

According to the researchers, it builds on Kaplan’s Attention Restoration Theory, which explains how natural environments, especially those that gently engage our senses, help the mind recover from fatigue. The night sky, vast and tranquil, offers what researchers call “soft fascination”: an effortless form of attention that restores clarity and perspective.

Growing global evidence shows that awe-filled experiences activate brain regions tied to emotional regulation, reduce cortisol levels and restore a sense of calm. The research team believes the night sky offers a uniquely powerful version of this effect.

The team is particularly interested in the "Overview Effect," a phenomenon described by astronauts who, upon seeing Earth from space, experience a profound shift in awareness and connection to humanity. By inviting ordinary people to look up and reflect on their place in the cosmos, the researchers hope to spark similar feelings of calm, gratitude and belonging here on Earth.

Preliminary results: early findings from Sutherland

Recently, fourteen families from diverse backgrounds joined a guided astronomy weekend, organised by SU’s CoCREATE Health Hub and IAU OAD, in Sutherland, home to some of the world’s darkest night skies and the iconic Southern African Large Telescope (SALT). Participants explored the Karoo landscape, observed Saturn’s rings, the craters on the moon and the Milky Way, and took part in reflective fireside conversations.

Preliminary results show that stargazing immediately reduced symptoms of depression and improved participants’ mood. Using a combination of self-report questionnaires, reflective journaling, interviews and focus groups, the team noted a consistent pattern: Participants reported reduced feelings of anxiety and low mood within 24 hours of the astronomy experience.

“If the effect was only about escape or rest, we would expect a similar response after any weekend break,” says Hendricks. “What we’re finding, though, is that the cosmic element, the vastness, the awe, creates a shift that’s distinct. It doesn’t just calm people; it changes how they think about themselves and their place in the world.”

Early results are promising:

• Participants reported reduced anxiety and improved mood within 24 hours.
• Many described “mental spaciousness”, a calm and non-cluttered mind with space to better process emotions and information without feeling overwhelmed.
• Some reported a lasting sense of perspective about life and purpose.
• Families reported greater cohesion and meaningful, distraction-free connection.

One participant shared in a follow-up reflection: “I still picture the Milky Way when things feel heavy. It reminds me that my problems aren’t infinite.”

According to Fish, Vice-Dean: Clinical Services and Social Impact at SU’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, the initiative fills a crucial gap: “Through this collaboration, we are creating new ways for people to find healing outside of clinical settings. Families are reconnecting not just to each other, but to the environment and to a shared sense of humanity.”

Govender, Director of the OAD, adds: “Astronomy has always invited us to ask big questions. Now we’re learning it can also help us sit with them, quietly, together, under the same sky.”

Importantly, the researchers conclude that stargazing is particularly effective in areas where access to mental health care is limited: It is free, culturally universal and requires minimal equipment.

Next steps

The project runs through 2029, expanding to include youth programmes, urban stargazing circles, and both psychological and physiological measurements. Researchers will compare experiences across different environments – from city backyards to the deep darkness of Sutherland – to better understand how and why astronomy affects mental health.

The researchers plan to submit a paper on the preliminary result by the end of 2025.

The research has been approved by the Social, Behavioural and Education Research (SBER) Ethics Committee of Stellenbosch University.