Perth Observatory

Co-discoverers of the rings of Uranus, we made that joke even dirtier. We do night sky tours that will blow your mind so much that not even Dr Phil can save you

[Perth Observatory @perthobs]

That's a wrap, folks! 🌌

Today is my last day as Tour Administrator at the Perth Observatory.

It's been an incredible journey. I've been lucky enough to make lifelong friends, experience some truly amazing moments, and be part of something very special. While it's time for me to move on, before I sign off I simply want to say thank you.

Thank you to our incredible volunteers, and thank you to every one of you who has followed, liked, shared, commented and supported the Observatory over the past decade.

Our volunteers are the heart of this place.

Whether you're operating a telescope onsite or at an outreach event, greeting visitors with a smile, making countless cups of hot chocolate, taking community groups on Guided Day Tours, inspiring school students during incursions and School Day Tours, keeping the Observatory running through maintenance, presenting talks, supporting the office, training new volunteers, cataloguing our history and library, running Star Adoptions, courses and workshops, or helping in one of the many other ways you do, you create unforgettable experiences for thousands of people every year.

The results speak for themselves. This financial year alone, we ran 319 events and welcomed 23,086 visitors, the highest attendance in our history, despite there being no Astrofest in 2025. That's something every volunteer should be incredibly proud of.

Looking after the Observatory's social media has also been one of the highlights of my job. When I took over the pages in May 2015, we had around 2,200 followers. Today, across Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn, our community has grown to more than 75,000 people.

Together we've shared eclipses, meteor showers, comets, auroras, rocket launches, breathtaking astrophotography and countless discoveries from across the Universe. We've answered thousands of "What was that bright light in the sky?" questions, shared a few astronomy jokes along the way, and hopefully inspired the next generation of astronomers. None of that would have been possible without your incredible support.

I'd also like to thank the families and friends of our volunteers. I know many of you have received a last-minute "Can you help tonight?" phone call from me over the years. I'm fairly certain the queue of people I owe stretches all the way down Walnut Road and probably around to Welshpool East Road!

As for me, I'm looking forward to taking a well-earned break, spending more time with my family, and catching up on life outside the Observatory. Although, knowing me, I probably won't stay away for too long. I'm sure you'll see me back helping out on a few Night Sky Tours before long.

The Observatory's social media may be a little quieter for a short while until one of our wonderful volunteers takes over the pages, but I'm sure they'll soon be back sharing the wonders of the night sky with you all.

If you'd like to keep following my astronomy adventures, you can find me over at That Astronomy Guy on Facebook. I'd love to have you along as I continue sharing the latest space news, astronomy events and everything happening above our heads.

Finally, thank you for making the last ten years so memorable. It has been an absolute privilege to work alongside such an incredible group of people.

People often think the Perth Observatory is special because of its historic buildings or its telescopes. They're certainly part of the story, but that's not what makes it truly special.

It's the people.

The volunteers, the staff, the members, and every one of you who has supported us over the years. Thank you for making the last ten years the adventure of a lifetime.

Clear skies, everyone. ❤️🔭✨

[Perth Observatory @perthobs]

☄️ Happy Asteroid Day! 🌍

Did you know there are millions of asteroids orbiting our Sun, with more than 1.4 million discovered so far? While Hollywood might have us imagining giant space rocks heading straight for Earth every other week, the reality is much more fascinating.

Asteroid Day, celebrated every year on 30 June, is a global campaign dedicated to raising awareness about asteroids, how scientists monitor them, and why planetary defence is so important.

Asteroids are like time capsules from the birth of our Solar System, preserving clues about how the planets, including Earth, formed more than 4.5 billion years ago. By studying them, astronomers can unlock the history of our cosmic neighbourhood and even prepare for the rare chance that one might pose a future risk.

The good news? Astronomers around the world are constantly searching the skies for near-Earth asteroids. Thanks to powerful telescopes and international collaboration, we've discovered and tracked the vast majority of large asteroids that could threaten our planet, and none are on a collision course with Earth in the foreseeable future.

So today, take a moment to look up, appreciate the incredible work being done to protect our planet, and celebrate these ancient rocky wanderers that continue to teach us about the origins of our Solar System.

☄️ What's your favourite asteroid? Is it the metallic world Psyche, the rubble-pile asteroid Bennu, or perhaps Vesta, one of the largest objects in the asteroid belt? Let us know in the comments!

#Perth #WA #perthnews #wanews #communitynews #westernaustralia #perthlife #perthhappenings #perthgram #stargazing #photography #nightphotography #astrophotography #space #spacenews #astronomy #astronomynews #meteor #meteors #bolides #fireballs #meteorshower #AsteroidDay #AsteroidDay2025 #PlanetaryDefence #SolarSystem #perthobservatory #perthobs

[Perth Observatory @perthobs]

#SpaceImageOfTheDay: M82: Galaxy with a Supergalactic Wind

Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, A. Smercina (STScI, Tufts), T. Williams (U. Manchester); Image Processing: A. Pagan (STScI)

#APOD #Perth #WA #space #spacenews #perthnews #wanews #communitynews

[Perth Observatory @perthobs]

#Perth #WA #listen to the latest edition of the Ask A Spaceman #podcast with @PaulMattSutter - https://t.co/kb7glr7h3B

#space #spacenews #perthnews #wanews #communitynews

[Perth Observatory @perthobs]

From @abcnews: NASA Swift rescue mission spacecraft will bump telescope back into orbit

https://t.co/WAvAhI8hor

#spacenews #space #perthnews #wanews #communitynews #astronomynews #astronomy

[Perth Observatory @perthobs]

You might've seen in the media that June's Full Moon is called the Strawberry Moon. Despite the name, Tuesday's Full Moon won’t look red or pink — the name Strawberry Moon comes from North American Indigenous traditions marking the strawberry harvest

The Maine Farmers’ Almanac started publishing these names in the 1930s, drawing on Native American and colonial traditions to track the seasons

So why does the Moon sometimes look red? That happens during a total lunar eclipse — and the next one visible across most of Australia is on 8 September 2025. Set your calendars!

Tuesday’s Moon will reach its Full Moon stage at 7:56 am. For a perfect photo op, you can capture the Moon rising above the Perth Hills in the southeast, this afternoon at 4:33 pm, Tuesday at 5:28 pm, and Wednesday at 6:26 pm.

Great viewing spots around Perth for tonight, Tuesday, and Wednesday include:
📍 Kings Park
📍 Wireless Hill
📍 Reabold Hill Lookout

Also, fun fact — June’s moon is linked to the word honeymoon! In medieval Europe, newlyweds drank mead (a honey drink) for one lunar month after the wedding, believed to bring love and fertility

Wherever you are tonight, just step out into your front or backyard and look up — no special gear needed

#Perth #WA #perthnews #wanews #communitynews #westernaustralia #perthevents #perthtodo #perthlife #perthisok #perthgram #perthhappenings #perthcreatives #PerthAstronomy #LookUpWA #photography #astrophotography #lunarphotography #moonphotography #nightphotography #nightscape #StrawberryMoon #moon #lunar #fullmoon #luna #moonlovers #stargazing #perthobservatory #perthobs

[Perth Observatory @perthobs]

#Perth #WA the Chinese Tiangong Space Station will fly over at 7:32 pm

#perthnews #perthevents #wanews #communitynews #westernaustralia #perthlife #perthtodo #perthhappenings

[Perth Observatory @perthobs]

#Perth #WA the Chinese Tiangong Space Station will fly over at 5:56 pm

#perthnews #perthevents #wanews #communitynews #westernaustralia #perthlife #perthtodo #perthhappenings

[Perth Observatory @perthobs]

#Perth #WA #listen to the latest edition of the @SpaceNutsPodcst #podcast now - https://t.co/O0rZZtLVMy

#space #spacenews #perthnews #wanews #communitynews

[Perth Observatory @perthobs]

From @SPACEdotcom: Did @NASA just find evidence of ancient life on Mars? Perseverance rover spots complex carbon in Red Planet rocks

https://t.co/VCL6CSPjPg

#spacenews #space #perthnews #wanews #communitynews #astronomynews #astronomy

[Perth Observatory @perthobs]

#Perth #WA the Chinese Tiangong Space Station will fly over at 6:56 pm

#perthnews #perthevents #wanews #communitynews #westernaustralia #perthlife #perthtodo #perthhappenings

[Perth Observatory @perthobs]

#SpaceImageOfTheDay: Milky Way Urban Style

Image Credit & Copyright: Shingoo Lee

#APOD #Perth #WA #space #spacenews #perthnews #wanews #communitynews

[Perth Observatory @perthobs]

From @universetoday: Astronomers Find Stellar Evidence of an Engulfed Planet

https://t.co/4BojOc0TWu

#spacenews #space #perthnews #wanews #communitynews #astronomynews #astronomy

[Perth Observatory @perthobs]

#Perth #WA the Chinese Tiangong Space Station will fly over at 6:19 pm

#perthnews #perthevents #wanews #communitynews #westernaustralia #perthlife #perthtodo #perthhappenings

[Perth Observatory @perthobs]

#Fridayfunnies

[Perth Observatory @perthobs]

#SpaceImageOfTheDay: Anticrepuscular Rays over Sicily

Image Credit & Copyright: Marcella Giulia Pace

#APOD #Perth #WA #space #spacenews #perthnews #wanews #communitynews

[Perth Observatory @perthobs]

#Perth #WA #listen to the latest edition of the Space Time #podcast with @stuartgary now - https://t.co/feoWaC1a5v

#space #spacenews #perthnews #wanews #communitynews

[Perth Observatory @perthobs]

#Perth #WA #listen to the latest space policy edition of the Planetary Radio #podcast - https://t.co/5rH7DywsHS

@exploreplanets @PlanRad #space #spacenews #perthnews #wanews #communitynews

[Perth Observatory @perthobs]

From @abcnews: Pilbara's North Pole Dome confirmed again to be world's oldest known asteroid crater

https://t.co/QOGlKM6ynV

#spacenews #space #perthnews #wanews #communitynews #astronomynews #astronomy