Home
About
Tours
Special Events
Hire
Astronomy
Gift Vouchers
Blog
Get Involved
Contact
Terms & Conditions
Privacy Policy
Waiver

08 9293 8255

Home
About
Tours
Special Events
Hire
Astronomy
Gift Vouchers
Get Involved
Blog
Contact

Ladies Only Star Party

Shop

Showing 13–24 of 26 results

Ladies Only Star Party
Read more
Low Sensory Night Sky Tour
Read more
Lunar Photography Workshop
Read more
May The 4th Night Tour
Read more
New Year’s Eve Night Tour
Read more
Night Sky Tours
Read more
Observatory Day Tours
Read more
Photographing Gas Giants Workshop
Read more
Planetfest Photography Workshop
Read more
Spring Into Milky Way Photography
Read more
Star Trek Night Tour
Read more
Summer Lecture
Read more

←
1
2
3
→

eNewsletter on a tablet — Newsletter Sign Up

Sign up today to our quarterly newsletter
View more

Night Tour — Rate Us On TripAdvisor

Let others know of your experience
View more

Volunteers In Dome — We Want You!

Become an awesome volunteer
View more

Instagram Feed

The Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower peaks on the morning of Thursday, May 7th!!!

The cosmic crumbs left behind by Halley’s Comet tail happen each year around this time of year as Earth passes through this leftover trail. The tiny dust and ice particles collide with our atmosphere at 66 kilometres per second—burning up in brilliant streaks of light.

The meteor shower is named after the star Eta Aquarii, part of the constellation Aquarius, which marks the region of the sky where the meteors appear to radiate from.

While Halley's Comet won’t return until 2061, its dusty trail continues to create not one, but two annual meteor showers—the Eta Aquarids in May, and the Orionids in October, with the Eta Aquarids being first documented by Western astronomers in the 19th century.

In 2026, the Eta Aquarids are expected to peak before dawn on Thursday, May 7th, but you can see meteors from late April through to about 10 May. The best time to look is from 2:30 am to sunrise, while Aquarius is in the eastern sky. The Moon will be near the last Quarter phase, so the light pollution from it will cause the fainter meteor to be hard to see.

During peak, observers in dark-sky areas can expect to see up to 10 meteors per hour, with long, fast trails—some even leaving glowing trains that linger for a few seconds. In the city, we may only see a few per hour due to the light pollution.

Tips to see:

• Find a dark location.
• Give your eyes 15 minutes to adjust to the dark.
• Lie back to see as much sky as possible.
• You just need your eyes and a bit of patience.
• Dress warmly

Best Places to Watch in Perth:

• Rest stops in the Central Wheatbelt
• Golden View Lookout at Mundaring Weir
• Herron Point, and Island Point Reserve
• Bold Park (near Reabold Hill)

#perth #wa #perthnews #wanews #communitynews #westernaustralia #perthlife #perthgram #perthhappenings #EtaAquarids2026 #EtaAquarids #Halley #meteors #meteorshowers #shootingstars #astrophotography #photography #nightphotography #nightscapes #astrotourism #astrotourismwa #astronomynews #astronomy #spacenews #space #AstronomyEvents #FamilyFun #roadtrip #perthobservatory #perthobs

Happy Star Wars Day, everyone. May the 4th be with you!!!

Image: Kyle Katarn

#MayThe4thBeWithYou #MayThe4th #StarWars #StarWarsDay #StarWarsDay2026 #starwarsfan #starwarsfans #jedi #sith #mandalorian #maytheforcebewithyou #starwarsnerd #starwarsnerds #lucasfilm #lightside #darkside #Perth #WA #westernaustralia #perthnews #wanews #communitynews #perthhappenings #whatsoninperth #perthobservatory #perthobs

The Moon will reach its Full Moon phase on May 2nd at 1:23 am in Perth, which is a very civilised time if you’re a vampire, an insomniac, or someone who accidentally opened TikTok at midnight and lost control of their life.

And just when you think the Moon has done enough… surprise! There’ll be an additional “Blue Moon” on May 31st. That’s right, two full moons in one month, because even the Moon knows how to overbook its calendar.

The primary name for May’s Full Moon is the Flower Moon, signifying the abundant blooming of flowers and the height of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Other traditional names include the Budding Moon, Corn Planting Moon, Egg Laying Moon, Hare Moon, and Milk Moon… which together sound less like Moon names and more like a very confusing breakfast menu.

These names come from North American Indigenous traditions, with the Flower Moon name linked to the Algonquin, Cree, and Ojibwe peoples. They were later popularised in the 1930s through the Old Farmer’s Almanac. Celtic and Old English names include Mothers’ Moon, Bright Moon, Hare Moon, and Grass Moon, which all sound like they belong in a fantasy novel.

Now, about that “Blue Moon”… it’s not actually blue. A Blue Moon is either the second full moon in a calendar month, or the third of four full moons in a season. It typically happens every 2–3 years, which is where the phrase “once in a blue moon” comes from, dating back to 1940s folklore.

This Full Moon is also an Apogee-Syzygy Moon, also known as a Micro Moon, meaning it will look slightly smaller than usual. The Moon’s orbit isn’t perfectly circular, its furthest point from Earth is called apogee, and its closest is perigee. “Syzygy” refers to the alignment of the Sun, Earth, and Moon.

So if you’re out tonight or tomorrow night, look up.

#Perth #WA #perthnews #wanews #communitynews #space #spacenews #astronomy #astronomynews #westernaustralia #perthlife #perthgram #perthhappenings #astrophotography #lunarphotography #moonphotography #astronomicalevent #flowermoon #flowermoon2026 #moon #fullmoon #luna #moonlovers #astrophoto #stargazing #perthobservatory #perthobs

The International Space Station (@iss) will fly over extremely bright on Saturday, May 2nd at 6:45 pm (Mag -3.6), and on Sunday, May 3rd at 5:58 pm (Mag -3.6).

To use the attached maps, face south and hold the map above your head, and you'll see the path of the flyover.

#spotthestation #internationalspacestation #spacestation #iss #Perth #WA #perthnews #wanews #communitynews #westernaustralia #perthnow #perthgram #perthevents #perthlife #perthtodo #perthhappenings #ThisisWA #wanderoutyonder #perthhills #perthisok #perthlife #experienceperthhills #experienceperth #perthentertainment #seeperth #whatsoninperth #stargazing #nightsky #perthobservatory #perthobs

Boy, it was foggy this morning!

Have you ever wondered what fog is? Have we ever walked through a cloud? That’s basically what fog is.

Fog is a cloud at ground level, made up of tiny water droplets suspended in the air. Each droplet is incredibly small, about 10 to 20 micrometres wide, but together they scatter light and reduce visibility.

Officially, it’s called fog when you can’t see more than 1 km ahead. If you can see a bit further, it’s called mist.

🌡️ How does fog form?

Fog forms when air cools to its dew point, meaning it can’t hold all its water vapour anymore, so that invisible moisture turns into visible droplets.

You just need three things:

💧 Moisture in the air
❄️ Cooling temperatures
🍃 Calm or light winds

There are a few common types you might experience:

🌄 Radiation fog: Forms overnight as the ground cools, chilling the air above it. Common in valleys and rural areas.

🌊 Advection fog: Warm, moist air moves over a cooler surface like the ocean. Very common along coastlines.

🏞️ Valley fog: Cold air sinks into low-lying areas and traps moisture.

♨️ Evaporation fog (steam fog): Cold air over warmer water, giving that “steaming lake” look.

🪐 Fog isn’t just an Earth thing…

🌕 Titan: Saturn's moon has probably the most Earth-like fog, but made of methane, not water. It forms around lakes of liquid natural gas at a chilly −180°C.

🔴 Mars: Yes, Mars gets fog too. It’s thin and ghostly, made of water ice particles, often seen at sunrise by rovers.

☁️ Venus: Fog on steroids. Thick, permanent haze made of sulfuric acid droplets, and hot enough to melt lead.

#Perth #WA #perthnews #wanews #communitynews #westernaustralia #perthlife #perthgram #perthhappenings #fog #mist #foggy #foggyday #foggyweather #weather #weatherwatch #meteorology #earthscience #didyouknow #learnsomethingnew #solarsystem #titan #mars #venus #spacefacts #science #sciencefacts #sciencelovers #perthobservatory #perthobs

Everyone meet Comet PanSTARRS ☄️

Say hello to C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS), a distant visitor currently passing through our cosmic neighbourhood.

This comet was discovered in 2025 by the Pan-STARRS survey telescope (Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System) in Hawaii.

🌅 When and where to see it

Earlier this month, the comet was visible in binoculars, and even just with the naked eye from dark rural skies, in the early morning before sunrise.

Now, it’s making a return appearance in the evening sky.

👉 Look just after sunset low in the western sky
👉 Around 6:30 pm onwards
👉 Find a spot with a clear horizon (a beach is perfect)

Bring:
🔭 Binoculars
📷 A camera with a decent zoom lens
📸 A tripod for longer exposures

🧊 Where did it come from?

With an estimated orbital period of around 170,000 years, this comet likely originated from the distant Oort Cloud, a vast spherical halo of icy objects surrounding our Solar System.

In other words, this comet has been drifting in deep freeze for an absurd amount of time before being nudged inward.

🔥 Why it suddenly “turns on”

As it falls toward the Sun, things get interesting.

The heat causes frozen ices, water, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide, to sublimate (skip the liquid phase and turn straight into gas). This can be quite an active, even explosive process.

That gas and dust:
Forms a glowing coma (the fuzzy cloud around the comet)
Gets pushed away by sunlight and the solar wind
Stretches out into a tail

That’s how it goes from an invisible chunk of ice and rock to a faint, glowing object in our sky.

#Perth #WA #spacenews #space #astronomynews #astronomy #perthnews #wanews #communitynews #westernaustralia #perthlife #perthgram #perthhappenings #whatsinthesky #stargazing #astrotourism #astrotourismwa #nightphotography #astrophotography #nightscapes #astrophoto #comet #comets #CometWatch #CometC2025R3 #CometPanSTARRS #perthobservatory #perthobs

🍎✨ Harvest, Sip, Explore… and Look Up! ✨🍷

Experience the very best of the Perth Hills this May at the @bickleyharvestfestival

👉 https://bit.ly/2SgwU4l

Set against a stunning bushland backdrop, it’s the perfect excuse to slow down and savour the season. Wander through orchards, meet local producers, and indulge in delicious food, wine, cider, and fresh local flavours from some of Bickley’s finest.

Bring your family and friends along, there’s something for everyone! While you’re in the valley, swing by Perth Observatory and add a little stargazing to your day.

🌿 We’ll be open both festival days from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm with our Cosmic Fairy Door Discovery Day on Saturday and Guided Day Tours on Sunday
🔭 Enjoy guided tours of our historic telescopes
🧚‍♀️ Discover our magical fairy doors
☀️ Take in the views, explore the grounds, and soak up the atmosphere
🎟️ No booking needed, just pay on the day

Why not turn it into a full day out… or even a weekend escape in the Perth Hills? Great food, great wine, and a universe waiting just above your head 🌌

Plan your perfect weekend getaway… we’ll see you there!

On ANZAC Day, we honour the service and sacrifice of Australians who have served our country, and reflect on moments in history that shaped our nation.

This year marks 110 years since the Battle of Fromelles, one of the most devastating days in Australian military history. In just 24 hours, more than 5,500 Australian soldiers were killed, wounded, or captured.

Tonight, we’ve recreated the night sky as it would have appeared above Fromelles on 19 July 1916.

Under those same stars, young Australians stood far from home, facing unimaginable conditions. The sky above them, calm and unchanging, a silent witness to the courage, sacrifice, and mateship shown on the ground below.

As you look at the stars tonight, take a moment to reflect.

The light from many of those stars has travelled hundreds, even thousands of years to reach us, a reminder that while moments in history pass, their stories endure.

We remember those who served, those who never returned, and those who carried the weight of war home with them.

Tonight, we'll look up not just in wonder… but in remembrance.

Lest we forget.

#perth #wa #perthnews #wanews #communitynews #wesernaustralia #ANZACDay #ANZACDay2026 #LestWeForget #wewillrememberthem #anzac #australia #newzealand #military #army #navy #airforce #anzacspirit #war #soldier #soldiers #dawnservice #nzarmy #nzmilitary #nzdefenceforce #ww1 #westernfront #france #perthobservatory #perthobs

🌍✨ Want to space out… without going anywhere?

Turn your TV, monitor, or phone into a live window to orbit with @SEN’s 24/7 4K cameras on the International Space Station 🚀

This isn’t a screensaver.
This is real-time Earth, streaming straight from space.

You’ll see:
🌅 Sunrises and sunsets every 90 minutes
🌏 The curve of Earth drifting beneath you
🌩️ Storms, lightning, oceans, cities… all unfolding live
🛰️ Even spacecraft arrivals and departures

Perfect for:
🛋️ Chill background ambience at home
💻 A calming second screen while you work
🎮 Next-level vibes for your setup
😌 Or just letting your brain quietly orbit for a while

No talking. No stress. Just Earth… doing its thing.

👉 Watch live: https://loom.ly/Zi9J2So

📺 YouTube: https://loom.ly/agKnfrs

📱 Now on iOS & Android

Because sometimes the best way to switch off…
is to look down from 400 km up. 🌌💫

Music: An Ending (Ascent) - Brain Eno

#Perth #WA #perthnews #wanews #communitynews #spacenews #space #astronomynews #astronomy #westernaustralia #perthlife #perthgram #perthhappenings #SpaceView #SpaceFeed #SpaceLovers #SpaceOut #ISS #SpaceStation #EarthFromSpace #AmbientVibes #4K #SpaceTV #Relaxation #CosmicCalm #ChillVibes #SecondScreen #YouTubeLive #perthobservatory #perthobs

Did you catch Sunday’s spectacular fireball?

One of the Global Meteor Network night cameras we set up in Bindon caught this bolide in the Southwest at 7:52 pm on Sunday. From reports, it was seen across much of the Southwest of Western Australia.

#Perth #WA #perthnews #wanews #communitynews #westernaustralia #perthlife #perthhappenings #perthgram #stargazing #photography #nightphotography #astrophotography #space #spacenews #astronomy #astronomynews #meteor #meteors #bolides #fireballs #meteorshower #gmn #globalmeteornetwork #SouthWestWA #perthobservatory #perthobs

🌠✨ The Lyrids Are Back… ✨🌠

Perth, set the alarm (yes… the early one 😅), because one of the oldest meteor showers in recorded history is about to light up our skies.

We’re talking about the Lyrids Meteor Shower, peaking on the night of April 22 into the early hours of April 23… and it’s been putting on a show for over 2,600 years.

In fact, ancient Chinese astronomers once wrote that during the Lyrids, “stars fell like rain.”
Honestly… goals 🌧️✨

🌌 What’s going on up there?

Earth is currently ploughing through a dusty trail left behind by Comet Thatcher… a comet that only swings past the Sun every 415 years.

Those tiny bits of comet debris hit our atmosphere at high speed and burn up… creating those beautiful streaks we call meteors.

⏰ When should you look?

Your best bet is around 3:30 am, after midnight when the radiant rises higher.

👀 Give your eyes about 15 minutes to adjust

🌄 Look north to northeast

🌌 But keep scanning the whole sky, meteors can appear anywhere

Expect around 10 to 20 meteors per hour, with the chance of a few bright fireballs if the universe is feeling generous.

🚗 Where to go?

If you can, head out of Perth and into the wheatbelt or any dark sky spot.

Less light pollution = more meteors = happier you.

🛋️ Meteor watching essentials:

☕ Hot drink
🪑 Chair or blanket
🧥 Warm clothes (it will get chilly)
✨ Patience… lots of it

Because meteor showers are a bit like cats…
They absolutely do what they want, when they want 😄

📸 Want to photograph it?

Bring a tripod and try:

• Wide lens (14–24mm)
• Aperture: f/2.8
• ISO: 1600–3200
• Shutter: 10–20 seconds
• Focus: infinity

Then let it run and hope the sky delivers.

So lie back, look up, and enjoy one of the oldest sky shows humanity has ever recorded.

#Perth #WA #perthnews #wanews #communitynews #spacenews #space #astronomynews #astronomy #westernaustralia #perthlife #perthhappenings #whatsinthesky #experienceperthhills #experienceperth #experiencewa #nightsky #stargazing #whatsinthesky #meteor #meteorshower #lyrids #lyrids2026 #photography #astrophotography #nightphotography #perthobservatory #perthobs

✨ What a morning, on Friday! ✨

We’re all still buzzing after hosting @abcaustralia's News Breakfast program on Friday morning.

A lot of us definitely know we're not in our 20s with the early start, but it was fantastic to what it takes and see how the show is produced out of the studio. It's definitely a great feeling sharing the universe with you all before most people had even finished their first coffee ☕

Our incredible volunteers did what they do best:

✨ Bringing the cosmos down to Earth
✨ Sharing the history of the Observatory and volunteer group
✨ Showing off our amazing bush setting

A huge THANK YOU to @james_glenday, @emmarebellato, and the ABC crew for making it such a fun morning, and to everyone who tuned in, messaged, or waved from their living rooms (or kitchens 😄).

There’s something pretty special about watching the night sky fade into sunrise… especially when you’ve just taken a trip through the universe first 🌌➡️🌅

Missed it? Don’t worry, you can watch it on iView and it's just a taste of what you can experience on one of our Night Sky Tours 😉

#Perth #WA #perthnews #wanews #communitynews #westernaustralia #PerthHills #spacenews #space #astronomynews #astronomy #perthgram #perthlife #perthhappenings #ExperiencePerth #ExperiencePerthHills #ExperienceWA #SeePerth #WAtheDreamState #ThisisWA #wanderoutyonder #justanotherdayinwa #ABC #ABCBreakfast #BreakfastTV #MorningTV #LiveTV #FamilyFriendly #perthobservatory #perthobs @abcnews_au

Follow us

Contact Details

337 Walnut Rd Bickley WA 6076

337 Walnut Rd Bickley WA 6076

info@perthobservatory.com.au

Office Times: 10 am to 4:00 pm Mon - Fri (exclude public holidays), and open for scheduled tours

ABN 14 565 272 536

Get In Touch

© 2026 Perth Observatory - All rights reserved
Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Refund Policy | and Waiver | Web Design By Matt Woods