Perth Observatory Newsletter | March 2026

March 2026

Summer Lecture 2026+

Defending the planet with David Coward.

The Humiliation of Nyeeruna

An excerpt.

Spots on Stars

Trainee's Voice

THE PERTH OBSERVATORY MAGAZINE

'Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon.'

―Paul Brandt

A View Through The Eyepiece

Greetings, Earthlings!

As the Earth turns, the seasons change. Cast your eyes to the heavens. The Emu in the Sky, the dark nebula that the Indigenous people of Australia used, is elevating itself once again above us. For 60,000 years, the Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation have cared for the land, sea and most importantly, the sky upon which the sky upon which we stand and gaze. It is truly amazing to give due regard to such an ancient heritage.

It’s been a busy first quarter of the year. The summer lecture kicked off our hot weather offering with planetary defense. We’ve had some bonza offerings with more breathwork under the stars, romance under the stars on the Valentine’s Day Night Sky Tour and our first ever Ladies Only Star Party. The Hills Symphony Orchestra was a magnificent, if nothing less, cascade of culture and cluster of harmonics as our ears danced to the music of the stars. Tonight, the Perth Observatory will be holding their monthly Full Moon Tour during a Blood Moon Eclipse in the constellation of Leo. The Perth Sky Sculpture Park opened their Artist Applications on the 13th of February. How exciting it all is!

You may have noticed the belated addition of some Christmas well-wishes from our patron His Excellency The Honourable Governor Christ Dawson AC APM and the Honourable Klasey Hirst MLC. Perth Observatory observes space, but unlike space, we do not operate in a vacuum. It is marvellous to add these wishes to the newsletter, and we much appreciate and are grateful for the thoughts of our passionate supporters.

We have another larger than normal issue packed full of astronomy goodies, historical tidbits and clever crafts. In fact, it was packed so full that I’ve opted for a bonus edition to be included, no adverts, just a table of contents and nothing but story. Part of the vision for the newsletter is to have more voices contributing from different areas of the POVG. Jo Ludlow sent us an update on the School Day Tours. Deise Carvalho shared her perspective as a trainee. I’m hoping that we can keep the momentum going. Perth Observatory has a large pool of volunteers, but we aren’t all crazy stargazers (well, maybe we are) lurking at the ‘scopes during a Night Sky Tour. There are people in maintenance, otherwise known as ‘Santa and the Elves’, who keep things running smoothly. People in admin who do gatekeeping during the week, along with school day tours, also make massive contributions to our operations. Perth Sky Sculpture Park is now part and parcel of who we are. We’d love to keep hearing their voices because it is together, as a team, that we keep the place operating so we can share our love of the cosmos with the unsuspecting public.

Submissions are always open. I am always searching for submissions. We are looking for anything space, astrophotography or Perth Observatory related. So many of you share your pictures during a session. It would be great to showcase them in an issue. Submissions can be sent to lcmckwd@gmail.com at any time. I can be reached on 0466788697. Please, only text me.

Louise Kaestner Editor

Upcoming Events:

Don't

Miss Out. Book Now!

5th of April

Star Trek Night Tour

Time: 7:30 pm (Doors open at 7 pm)

Price: $55 Adults; $45 Concession; $35 Children aged 5 to 17

Boldly go where no Earthling has ever explored. Don your Starfleet uniform and journey to the Perth Hills for a night of cosmic discovery. Lift off from Planet Earth—your destination: Federation space.

Live long and prosper!

12th of April

Cosmic Creations: Beginner Mosaic Workshop at Perth Observatory

Time: 12 pm - 9:30 pm (Doors open at 11:30 am)

Price: $110 per person

Fancy creating your own mosaic with a cosmic theme? Then this workshop is perfect for you.

After the workshop, you will be given a guided site tour of the observatory's historical telescopes.

13th of April

Breath Beneath the Stars

Time: 7 pm - 9 pm (Doors open at 6:30 pm)

Price: $85 per person

Enjoy an evening of stargazing, gentle breathwork and sound healing under a starlit sky at the Perth Observatory.

As the sun sets, you will be guided through a 60-minute gentle breathwork session while gazing upon the emerging stars, galaxies and nebulas above.

2nd of May

Cosmic Fairy Door Discovery Day

Time: 10 am & 1 pm

Price: $15 Adult/Child; free Children under 4; $50 Family (2 adults, 2 children)

We invite all Earthlings, great and small, to wander our historic grounds in search of the hidden Cosmic Fairy Doors. Children will embark on a special discovery mission, finding fairy doors around the Observatory, collecting stamps along the way. Once the mission is complete, each child will receive a small prize.

12th & 13th of May

Spring Into Milky Way Photography

Time: 7 pm - 9:30 pm (Doors open at 6:30 pm)

Price: $220 per person (both nights included)

Looking to capture stunning images of the Milky Way? Look no further than the Perth Observatory’s upcoming Milky Way photography workshop! With the Milky Way season just around the corner, now is the perfect time to learn how to take breathtaking photos of our galaxy.

4th of May

May The 4th Night Tour

Time: 7:30 pm (Doors open at 7 pm)

Price: $55 Adults; $45 Concession; $35 Children aged 5 to 17

May the 4th be with you!

Celebrate Star Wars Day in style by heading to the Perth Observatory in your best Jedi robes and lightsaber(s). Our astronomers will hit hyperdrive and deliver an exquisite veiw of the cosmos that is still free from the clutch of the Empire.

25th of May

Towel Day Night Tour

Time: 7:30 pm (Doors open at 7 pm)

Price: $55 Adults; $45 Concession; $35 Children aged 5 to 17

Join us on May 25th at the Perth Observatory to celebrate Towel Day—an annual tribute to Douglas Adams and his beloved Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy—for an unforgettable night with your trusty towel in hand.

If you want to survive out here, you've got to know where your towel is.

Book Early. Tickets Now Available!

27th of May -

Astronomy 101 Course

Time: 7 pm - 9:30 pm (Doors open at 6:30 pm)

Price: $300 per person

Are you fascinated by the vast expanse of space and the mysteries of our universe, but never found the time to learn about it? Well, now is the perfect opportunity to discover more about our amazing cosmos!

Explore the cosmos with Perth Observatory’s five-week space and astronomy course, led by STEM Coordinator Jenny Gull.

16th of June

Low Sensory Night Sky Tour

Time: 7:30 pm - 8:15 pm

Price: $20 per person

This experience is designed as a low-sensory, relaxed evening, allowing you to explore our telescope domes at your own pace. The session is self-guided, with staggered booking times to reduce crowding and create a calm, comfortable environment. Our astronomers will be on hand throughout the evening to answer questions and offer guidance if you wish.

13th of June

Astrophotography Workshop

Time: 1 pm - 10 pm (Doors open at 12:30 pm)

Price: $280 per person

Join us for an unforgettable day of astrophotography at the Perth Observatory. Our small group experience will teach you all the basics of astrophotography, from widefield to telescope photography.

Our expert presenters will cover essential topics, including an introduction to astronomy and the night sky.

26th of June

Lunar Photography Workshop

Time: 7 pm to 10 pm (Doors open at 6:30 pm)

Price: $120 per person

Join us for a special evening of lunar photography under the stars at Perth Observatory. This is a great opportunity to capture stunning images of the Moon using your own camera and some of the best telescopes in the region.

Asteroid Apocalypses and David Coward: Defending the Earth

By Louise Kaestner

Photo Credit Stephen Webb

It’s dark. A gusty wind dislodges the persistent heat. Moonlight from a waxing gibbous moon glimmers over a hushed crowd. A projector screen, casting images of asteroids, stares back at eager onlookers. Beside it, a man in silhouette adjusts his laptop, queuing the theme from Thunderbirds—the 1960s show of marionette defenders. Their mission is the same as tonight’s guest speaker, David Coward, who takes centre stage at Perth Observatory’s annual summer lecture with one goal in mind: defending the planet.

David Coward is the kind of scientist you’d trust to save the world—not with a heroic leap into space, but with cool precision, data and long nights under the Perth sky. Though he began in horticulture, he’s now a leading astrophysicist and planetary defense researcher. He’s spent years studying how the universe throws its occasional stones at Earth and how humanity might just learn to sidestep them. On the evening January 31, 2026, a beautiful starlit summer night, David Coward shared his expertise and his embarrassing moments with an avid crowd of about 200 people, including excited volunteers.

Planetary Defense

Real planetary defense is a little less glamorous than astronauts and drillers riding a shuttle to plant a nuke on a giant asteroid hell-bent on the destruction of

Earth. However, there are some similarities. Planetary defense is a global science-driven effort to identify, track and mitigate the risk of near-Earth objects (NEOs)—such as asteroids and comets—that pose a potential collision threat to Earth. No one’s losing sleep over aliens just yet, though perhaps, somewhere out there, the face‐huggers of Alien wait on LV‐426.

According to David, planetary defense unfolds in three phases: awareness, acquisition and aversion. Awareness is the critical first step—detecting or discovering the near-Earth object (NEO) before anything else can begin. Without it, you're flying blind. Acquisition follows, with scientists tracking and characterising the threat: gathering data points to map its origins, trajectory and impact odds, plus profiling its size, shape and composition. Finally, aversion kicks in—time to nudge it off course, and no, they don't call Bruce Willis or reach for the nukes.

Why do we need planetary defense?

David answered with succinct grace, citing two Russian wake-up calls. First, the Tunguska event: on June 30, 1908, bleak Siberian skies above remote Tunguska lit up as a meteor airbursted, flattening 80 million trees across 2,150 sq km with 10-15 megatons of force—hundreds of times Hiroshima's bomb. No crater, no fragments—just mystery. Then, February 15, 2013: a mere 20-meter meteor blindsided Chelyabinsk from the Sun's glare. Its shockwave shattered 7,200 buildings and injured 1,500 people. Such a small thing, yet so devastating—and had it hit intact, the carnage would've been far worse. That's why all three phases— awareness, acquisition, aversion—are vital: spotting NEOs early lets us act on the ground or nudge them away while there's still time.

The Team

The International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) coordinates global planetary defense, focusing on awareness and acquisition. They partner with the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group (SMPAG), which handles aversion. Together, under the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), they ensure international policy keeps Earth one step ahead of cosmic threats.

To enable this, scientists around the world pooled data and partnered with space agencies to test whether the aversion phase could work. The result was NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART).

DART proved it wasn’t just theory—it was a spacecraft playing cosmic billiards. On September 26, 2022, a fridge‐sized probe slammed into Dimorphos, the 160‐meter moon of asteroid Didymos, at 14,000 mph. No explosions, no drill teams—just a raw kinetic hit that shortened Dimorphos’s orbit by 32 minutes, far more than expected thanks to a powerful debris

recoil. A quiet, Hollywood‐free nudge that showed we really can sidestep Earth’s uninvited guests—millions of kilometers away, and right on cue.

Future Near-Earth Objects

Two recent asteroids, soon to revisit Earth, have gripped scientists, astronomers and the public alike. In the beginning, with scant data points, each stirred subtle panic—but as David explains, data is king: the more you gather, the easier it is to model orbits and dodge collisions.

First: Asteroid 2024 YR4, a 50-60 metre city-killer flying by December 22, 2032. The planetary defense team ruled out Earth impact, but there's a small chance it clips the Moon instead. No atmosphere, different composition—so it'd gouge a massive dent, spewing dust and debris that could mess with GPS satellites. Such is life: buy your Universal Business Directory (UBD) now to prepare.

Second: Apophis 99942, named for the god of destruction. This 400-metre monster passes at just 35,000 kilometres on April 13, 2029—slicing through geostationary satellite turf. No collision, but it could scramble comms. Data calms the chaos, every time.

The End Of The World

David glances at his watch. ‘I've gone overtime. Any questions?’ The crowd piped up with smart questions from all ages—including brain-teasers from kids under 10. He fielded them all, even the classic ‘are there aliens?’ as the night wound down. Raffle winners grabbed prizes; most hit the shop for last souvenirs, drinks and ice cream. A stellar night amongst the stars— musing global doom and how scientists ensure it stays fictional.

Launch Trajectory:

The Extraordinary Life of Randolph Pearse

By Shayne Silcox

Images from Shayne Silcox personal album

My Uncle Randolph Pearse (Dec) has an interesting story to tell and was an inspiration to me in my early years and no doubt whetted my appetite in space… He was kicked out of school at 14, joined the British Navy and eventually became a scientist and ended up an admiral of the British Polaris Nuclear Submarine Fleet in Inverness. During his great career he was a rocket scientist and used to regularly fly out to Australia to the Woomera rocket range in South Australia. The rocket range was established in 1947 as a premier Anglo-Australian joint project became a globally significant site for cold-war weapons testing and space research. It was the world's second-busiest rocket range at its peak, hosting diverse launches from UK-designed missiles to the 1967 WRESAT satellite launch which made Australia a spacefaring nation.

Australia and the United Kingdom formed the Anglo-Australia Joint Project in 1946 to develop and test guided weapons. In 1947, they established the long-range weapons testing facility at Woomera. In the following years, the township of Woomera was established to provide accommodation and facilities for personnel scientists, technicians and ancillary staff. For many years, the town was a restricted facility. Weapons designed by the Joint Project and tested at Woomera include the Sea Wolf, Sea Slug, Rapier, Sea Dart and Bloodhound surface-to-air missiles, the Black Knight research rocket, the Blue Steel nuclear stand-off missile, the Malkara anti-tank missile, the Ikara anti-submarine missile and the GAF Jindivik target aircraft. The Joint Project ran until 1980.

Applications Open: Perth Sky Sculpture Park Exhibition & Acquisitive Awards

Article and images supplied by

Sandra Tinari

We’re delighted to share that Artist Applications opened for the inaugural Perth Sky Sculpture Park Exhibition and Acquisitive Awards in March. This will mark the public opening of POVG’s Perth Sky on 31 October 2026 here onsite at the Perth Observatory.

The application closing date is 12 April 2026, and our Curatorial Panel—consisting of sculptors and arts professionals from across WA—will convene in April to review submissions and select finalists for this landmark exhibition. Approximately 40 outdoor works of various sizes will be selected for installation across the Observatory grounds, alongside a curated selection of small-scale works for indoor display. For outdoors, works could be smaller pieces up to knee high, located alongside pathways and in clearings, to larger sculptures 2m to 4m high in more open areas.

The Exhibition marks the formal launch of Perth Sky Sculpture Park as a permanent, not-for-profit cultural tourism destination, bringing contemporary sculpture into dialogue with the Western Australian landscape and the skies above. When combined with night sky tours, this new day time offering expands the Perth Observatory into a wider landmark tourism destination for our state.

Supported by the City of Kalamunda through its Percent for Art Public Art Reserve, Perth Sky’s Acquisitive Awards offer a $150,000 prize pool, representing a significant opportunity for artists working in contemporary sculpture.

Selected sculptures will be on view for two years, unless sold, with all artworks available for purchase. The winning Acquisitive Award works will be acquired into the City of Kalamunda Public Art Collection, ensuring a lasting public legacy beyond the exhibition period.

Artists are encouraged to visit the Perth Sky Sculpture Park website to learn more about the selection outcomes and next steps.

A New Illustrated Map for the Perth Observatory

Article and images supplied by Sandra Tinari

A beautifully detailed, hand-drawn and coloured map of the Observatory site has been created by the Perth Sky Sculpture Park business unit. Created by local artists Jocelyn Hobbs and Johannes Pannekoek, who is also Head Curator of Perth Sky, this bespoke guide will enrich visitor exploration of the Observatory grounds, trails, buildings and heritage domes—and will eventually pinpoint sculpture locations once installed.

Jocelyn Hobbs is a Perth Hills-based mural artist, illustrator and calligrapher best known for her vibrant large‐scale artworks that celebrate nature, colour and community. Her murals appear across schools, community spaces and wellbeing environments, where her bright, uplifting style creates moments of joy and connection. Currently completing her Graduate Diploma in Creative Art Therapies, and with a background in science, she is passionate about showcasing the ‘A’ in STEAM— encouraging art and creativity as accessible means of expression, wellbeing and connection.

‘Creating this illustrated map was an opportunity to weave together my love of nature, colour and storytelling. The Observatory is such a magical place, and I wanted visitors—young and old—to feel that sense of wonder the moment they hold the map in their hands. My hope is that it becomes a gentle guide into curiosity, creativity and connection with the environment as Perth Sky comes to life.’

Johannes Pannekoek is a well-known Western Australian sculptor also based in the Perth Hills. Formerly a signwriter who ran his own business, Johannes brings decades of craftsmanship, design and fabrication expertise to his sculptural practice. His bold, curvilinear metal works have been exhibited nationwide, including here in WA at Sculpture by the Sea and Sculpture at Bathers. His sculptures are also held in public, corporate and private collections. His practice reflects a deep understanding of material, form and landscape.

‘The Observatory grounds hold an extraordinary dialogue between landscape, sky and human exploration. This map was our way of honouring that story. By combining art, detail and design, we aimed to create something that not only orients visitors but deepens their experience of the site.’

Together, Jocelyn and Johannes dedicated approximately 90 hours to creating the map, reflecting the remarkable level of detail embedded in the final artwork.

While the artists retain copyright (as is standard for all works of art), Jocelyn and Johannes have generously granted the POVG permission to use the work for the new visitor guide and site signage.

The hope is this beautiful, artful illustrated map truly reflects the beauty of the Perth Observatory and surrounding nature trails, and will one day become an integral part of the Perth Sky visitor experience, guiding audiences through the Observatory’s heritage buildings, domes and landscape as the Perth Sky prepares to open on 31 October 2026.

Britain’s Skylark sounding rocket program (1957-1979) became the longest-operating space project at Woomera, launching more than 250 British, Australian, European and American scientific instrument packages. Australian and British research made major contributions to X-ray, infra-red and ultra-violet astronomy using Skylark rockets.

Around 1957, the Long Tom rocket in 1957 paved the way for Australian-designed sounding rockets operating until 1975. This programme, conducted with the University of Adelaide, conducted upper atmosphere research that made important contributions to understanding factors governing Australia's meteorology. Britain’s Black Knight, which Uncle Randolph worked on, research missile was used between 1958 and 1965 for a range of defence research projects focussed on upper atmosphere studies. Additional research was carried out under Project SPARTA in 1966-67 using American Redstone rockets. From 1964 to 1970, ELDO, the European Launcher Development Organisation (a precursor of the European Space Agency) conducted its Europa launch vehicle programme, the largest space project undertaken at Woomera.

Australia’s first satellite, WRESAT, was launched from Woomera in 1967, and the last launch of Britain’s Black Arrow programme, active 1969 - 1971, put Prospero into orbit, the second satellite to achieve orbit from Woomera. The range is still in use. In 2002, the University of Queensland launched a rocket carrying the HyShot engine: the first successful flight of a hypersonic scramjet engine.

In addition to this he helped Ross McGlashan Rocket car design whilst in Perth.

Perth Observatory Night Cameras

Perth Observatory is a member of the Global Meteor Network, and we now have seven cameras recording the night sky. These state-of-the-art cameras capture meteors, satellite passes and other celestial events, providing us with a unique view of the Solar System’s formation and evolution.

The footage captured by these cameras is not only valuable for scientific research but also for public viewing. You can watch live images from the cameras at night, which update every three minutes during the night. Additionally, we’ve made available condensed footage from the previous night, highlighting every meteor detection. Be warned, it’s hard not to get hooked on watching these videos.

Icarus and Parker: Near and Far

By El Mauger

Icarus may have flown too close to the Sun, but the opposite can be said of Parker……

First off let me introduce myself, my name is El and I have been a volunteer at the Perth Observatory for around 5 years. In a previous life, I have written articles for coffee magazines around the World, but this is the first time writing anything related to astronomy so bear with me. I like to have a bit of fun in the way I write so let’s get into it and see how this goes.

So as most of you are aware, we have at some point heard the tragic tale of when Icarus flew too close to the sun. It didn’t obviously go the way I’m sure he had in mind. NASA and John Hopkins University, however, have taken up the challenge and have created a probe that was launched in 2018, and luckily not named after the fateful son of Daedalus. The Parker probe was the first spacecraft to ever be named after a living person of which Eugene N Parker was able to bear witness to.

Parker, along with the JHU team and NASA, designed the probe to observe the Sun’s corona (Heliophysics). This was fitted with four main instruments to study magnetic fields, plasma, solar winds and energy particles. So, pardon the pun, but I am sure you have the burning question of how the PP doesn’t burn up or melt being so close to the Sun. After much research, testing and engineering, the team came up with a solution that is a mere 11.43cm thick and applied to the shield as a plasma spray with a carbon and carbon composite ceramic coating. What is one fact that blew my mind is that on the Sun facing side it reaches approximately 1,370°C, but even more incredible is that the opposite side of the shield is around 30°C. This shield from the heat keeps all onboard equipment at a safe operating temperature.

So, Usain Bolt is the fastest man in the world at 43.99km/h, the Thrust SSC is the fastest car at 475km/h, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird at 3,529km/h is the fastest manned aircraft, the average rocket reaches speeds of 28,000km/h but the PP is by far in its own league. It is the fastest human-made object ever having reached speeds of 635,000 km/h and will only continue to break its own record as it gets closer to the Sun reaching just under 700,000km/h! At its current speed it could orbit the Earth in just over one minute, which is just incredible to try and imagine, but even at these speeds, it still takes 88 days to orbit the Sun.

What else you may be wondering is how big this incredible feat of engineering is. Well to put it in a way that I am sure most people reading this will be able to imagine as follows. So, after doing a bit of research I was able to find a man-made vehicle that is roughly the same dimensions and weight as the PP. In walks the instant mental image of the famous Rowan Atkinson’s character Mr. Bean and his bright green Mini Cooper. It’s hard to ever picture something like this being able to reach any of these outrageous speeds, let alone being so close to the Sun.

Onboard the PP the main instruments are FIELDS (field/waves,) ISOIS (high energy particles,) SWEAP (plasma particles) and WISPR (imaging). I could easily write a book purely based on all the incredible technical aspects of each of these, but this article would quickly turn into a novel. Before the end of this I will cover a little more on this but hopefully if I get asked to write another article, (fingers crossed), in which I will follow up with the research data and why it is so important to our daily lives and the future of technology.

So anyway, enough of the analogies and onto talking about what Parker has achieved and what all its onboard equipment is doing for us back here. On its way out to the Sun, it was able to capture some exclusive and unique images of the 31/Atlas Comet that many of us were fortunate to view last year in our skies. Also, while not the first probe to orbit Venus, (not its primary mission and only for helping reduce its orbital speed), it was able to send back the first ever images of the Venusian surface in visible light from space.

Image: Parker Probe

Credit: ESA

FIELDS: Used to measure the magnetic fields in the Sun’s corona. For it to withstand the high temperatures ejected, it has whip aerials made from a substance called Niobium, (formerly named Columbium, has a melting point of 2, 477°C vs. a similar metal like Titanium which has a melting point at 1, 668°C.)

ISOIS: Is used to measure the energy such as electrons, protons and ions from the Sun. It consists of 2 detectors, EPI-Hi and EPI-Lo, which cover two specific ranges of energy produced, but the EPI-Lo due to its range can also record different energy spectra such as gases and metals.

SWEAP: Stands for Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons, also has 2 parts to it and has four sensors located in the mid-section of the PP. From this we can get data about the variations in temperature, speed and density of the winds. Some data has shown that they can move at speeds of 250-750 km/s.

WISPR: Is a wide-field imager instrument that successfully captured photos of 31/Atlas. On its mission to the Sun, the images captured have allowed researchers to create a 3D structure of the corona, eruptions and measure plasma density.

So, I have had to hold back as previously stated about going deeper into the data and technical aspects of this amazing scientific research probe. Hopefully you have enjoyed reading this and the next time you are thinking about the Sun, spare a moment to think of the Parker Probe and until next time, Live Long and Prosper.

Editor's note:

For copyright reasons, we could not include the image we wanted of the Parker Solar Probe. However, if you would like a more in-depth investigation on the components of the Parker Solar Probe, please visit the John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Parker Solar Probe page.

Telescopes Under Western Australia’s Skies

Looking for an unforgettable night under the stars? Look no further than Perth Observatory’s offsite astronomy nights! As Western Australia’s leading Observatory, our experienced volunteers are dedicated to sharing the beauty and wonder of the night sky with people across the state.

Our team will bring their top-of-the-line telescopes and expertise to your town, suburb or school, providing you with a unique and immersive journey through the Southern Hemisphere’s celestial wonders. We will also guide you through the night sky with the help of our green lasers, teaching you about the stars, planets, nebulas, dying stars and enormous star clusters that populate our universe.

Whether you are an astronomy enthusiast or simply looking for a fun and educational experience, our offsite astronomy nights are the perfect way to explore the beauty and complexity of our universe. Request your night under the stars below and discover the magic of Perth Observatory!

Trainee's Voice: Valentines Day NST 2026

By Deise Carvalho

I had been to the Perth Observatory once before it became POVG. It ended up being an overcast night and I never went back. However, in 2021 I met Flavia Alegretti, who told me she was a volunteer at POVG. I had no idea one could volunteer at the place, and Flavia kindly invited me to come along with her one winter night to see if that was something I would like to do. I was still working part-time and had already started my volunteer career with other organisations, and I was sure I would like to become part of POVG. I gladly accepted Flavia’s invitation and started my training that year in September.

I was quite enthusiastic about the training but decided to take the time I needed to feel comfortable using the telescopes. The outdoor CPCs became an issue, as we had problems in almost every session I attended. I felt discouraged about being able to handle it on my own. I mentioned this to the trainers and was told that new and better telescopes were being acquired, so I no longer needed to worry about the CPCs. I continued my training with the 14 and 16. At times the Calver, but we usually had issues finding the objects, and again I thought that I would probably never graduate. Together with the discouragement of not being able to master the Calver, other difficult life situations came along and it became harder for me to keep attending POVG on a regular basis as I used to.

In the meantime, I decided to retire from my busy professional life and also began again my world travels, which have been one of my passions since childhood. I used to watch a tourism show in my early years and used to say that I wanted to travel around the world.

I was born in Brazil and moved to Western Australia to marry my Australian late husband in 1997, from Rio de Janeiro to the outskirts of Albany along the Southern Ocean. Lovely place, but I could live there for only two years.

At the end of last year, after some of my travels, I tried to put my name down for a night at POVG and sadly realised that I was out of the system due to having done less than 30 hours the previous year. However, lovely Nadia quickly reconnected me, and I started to train again on my available Wednesday nights and other nights as well. Hopefully I will graduate soon to become more useful to this beautiful group. It is so nice to see that Rachel Perkins, who was part of my training group, is already a very skilled host.

I must also say that I have felt very humble and actually quite ignorant when I listen to the great astronomical knowledge that some of you display. I know that maybe I will not get as far with such knowledge (as my choice is to focus on various other areas and not completely in astronomy), but I acknowledge that what I know and what I can read about the two objects of the night will make my future nights entertaining for the general public, who usually do not have much knowledge about astronomy.

To finalise this brief article, I would like to express my thankfulness to all of you who have helped me over these years to use our telescopes, and to all of you in general who contribute to make POVG this magnificent gateway to the universe, where people experience the awe of the infinite skies.

Spots before my eyes: Solar Physics at the Perth Observatory in the 1910s

By Dr Craig Bowers Images and figures courtesy of Perth Observatory

When I began my thesis in 2012 on the scientific history of the Perth Observatory, covering the period from 1958 to 2013, I spent an inordinate amount of time searching through paper-based archives as well as photographs taken throughout the observatory’s history.

As with all theses, the work began with a literature review covering everything that had been written on the subject to date.

After a year, I had started drafting the thesis, drawing on notes taken from the files and identifying relevant photographs to support the text. By the second draft—long story short—the early history focused on the observatory’s initial telescopes: the Grubb Parsons Astrographic and the Troughton & Simms Meridian. By 1910, this instrumentation was supplemented by the George Calver telescope.

As the years progressed, my writing naturally shifted its emphasis toward the final years in Perth prior to the move to Bickley. However, I had a mind worm about one particular photo, (see below).

There was the Astrographic dome, Kings Park behind, the white picket fence that contained the meteorological instruments and… a concrete circle with what looked like a table in the middle.

Later, I came across another photo (shown below):

By 2024, I headed back to try and work out the story; the historian and researcher in me wouldn’t let it rest. I researched every avenue I could think of. I contacted ex-staff of the Perth Observatory, other astronomers and astronomical instrumentation researchers from Australia and overseas, all to no avail. The feedback was that the Perth Observatory either never did solar work or they tried but failed as there were no records; most also moved between the names coelostat, siderostat and heliostat.

I recall vaguely during my research of the early years that the observatory did do work on sunspots; the photograph above appears to support that. Our first Honorary Historian to the Perth Observatory included a photograph in her Book II calling it a heliostat, but there was little detail about it. The picture shows an area which I believe to be the circular concrete pad in the earlier photograph. There is a tube with a tilted mirror sitting atop a table that is pinned to the centre of the circular concrete pad, the mirror angled such that light would shine down it—so definitely a heliostat.

Time passed after I wrote my thesis but that damn heliostat photograph niggled away at me.

Then, after being asked by POVG Facilities to clean up the downstairs Publications Store at the observatory, while rummaging around I found two gorgeous, circa A2 leatherbound books with the word “Sun” written on them, hidden under old copies of duplicate Astrographic Catalogues.

I thought, ’Hello, could this give me some information on whether we did investigate sunspots?’ To my amazement, as I opened the first volume, every page was populated with Australian weather reports for that day, circular plots of hand-drawn sunspots and groupings, and what appeared to be cuttings from the newspaper for that or preceding days' weather. Around this time, the relationship between the weather and Sun activity (including sunspots) was not well known. In addition, there were numerous annotations which I compared with signatures we have on record for observatory staff; they were Harold Burnham Curlewis. A few pages later, that was corroborated when he signed and dated the notes.

What do you think?

So, now I was able to confirm that the Perth Observatory was engaged in solar physics—or heliophysics—during 1915 and 1916. I found examples of this being recorded in the newspapers of the time, such as in The West Australian.

Now, where did that tube or telescope go? In all my searching of the observatory, there is nothing that fits the description of a tube of that size. Could the mirror have simply been thrown out? Perhaps, looking like a sewerage pipe, it was discarded when the old observatory was decommissioned? However, during discussions with colleagues in the Astronomical Society of Australia (ASA), I began looking at the picture differently: was it an existing telescope, just deconstructed? Not the Astrographic or Meridian obviously, but then that only left… the Calver?

Look at the photos on the next page and tell me: are there features of the tube and the Calver that are the same?

Look at the lugs on the heliostat and those on the Calver; look at the Newtonian eyepiece adapter on both. Of course, one would not use the Newtonian to view the Sun directly, but the obstruction of the Newtonian secondary wouldn’t interfere with a projected image of the Sun—hell, they could have even removed it. Also, one only has to consider the mirror cell in the Calver being removed and then the mirror being used outside for the heliostat.

Happy to take ‘calls’ on POVGhistorian@perthobservatory.com.au

Either way, we now have definitive information on the Perth Observatory’s work: we did indeed do sunspot activity work. How the image was viewed and transcribed onto the cardboard circles in the book and where the information was sent will be one of the many future research avenues I have, but at least one question is answered. If you ask AI about what solar physics or sunspot work was done at the Perth Observatory, you get nada. That’s why researchers have nothing to fear, as AI cannot do new research—sorry, had to get that in.

Dr Craig Bowers

M8/NGC6523 Lagoon Nebula

SundayGuided DayTours

Bronte Count. Why? For being on the till when it counts!

Jenny Gull. Why? For being amazing at running the astronomy classes!

Discover the secrets of the universe and the rich history of Perth Observatory on our Sunday guided day tours!

Nestled in the stunning bush settings of Bickley, our Observatory is the perfect place to explore the wonders of the cosmos.

Our knowledgeable guides will take you on a journey through time, from the Observatory’s humble beginnings in 1896 to its move to Bickley in 1966 and beyond. You’ll get to tour the Meridian, Astrograph & Calver Telescopes, learn about timekeeping and explore the museum to discover fascinating stories about the Observatory’s past and present.

If the weather permits, you’ll have the opportunity to safely observe the Sun and its sunspots. It’s an experience you won’t want to miss!

There is no need to book, simply come up between 1 and 4 pm and pay in our shop. Our Sunday day tours are the perfect way to spend a relaxing afternoon with family and friends, surrounded by the beauty of nature and the mysteries of the universe.

Rachel Perkins. Why? For her awesome work with the trainees on wednesday nights!

Harry Murari.

Why? For his depth and breadth of knowledge he shares with the publicevery sunday, on the sun!

Jayden ryder.

Why? For being a keen trainee on wednesday nights and mastering the telescopes!

Send your submissions for inclusion in the Perth Observatory Newsletter Shout Outs:

Volunteer Spotlight: The Full Bronte Count

By Louise Kaestner

There is an Earthling at the Perth Observatory who lurks around the till, working their magic on customers after many a night sky tour. They light up the room with a brilliant smile, and when they talk to you, you can’t help but sparkle—this person simply has that effect on people. Whether you catch them after a tour or in the kitchen, they’ll have you doubled over at the absurdity of life, offering raw, accurate descriptions of reality as it has always been. Their solution to the chaos is simple: ‘Bleep it: We ball!’

On Saturday, 7 February 2026, following another successful Night Sky Tour, Bronte Count was generous enough to sit down and bare all. In a conversation that can only be described as ‘going the full Bronte’, they gave me the unfiltered truth about volunteering at the Observatory and finding one's place among the stars.

What inspired you to volunteer at the Perth Observatory?

Honestly, I was eyeball deep in a mental health crisis. A couple of months before that, I’d thought, ‘Ah, it would be cool to go see the observatory,’ and I’d seen a volunteer feed on my phone. I just sat on it for a while.

Then, right in the middle of that crisis, I looked at it again and thought, ‘Huh, might as well just apply and see what happens.’ Nadia called me about ten minutes later. She said, ‘We’re actually having the interviews tonight—do you want to come?’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, okay. Damn.’

So, that’s just kind of how it happened. I applied for a random thing, and now I’m here.

What challenges do you face as a volunteer?

I'm not very good at talking to people. I'm scared. And then when I have to talk to a stranger, it is awful. I cannot form a coherent sentence. It takes me a long while to even form coherent sentences with people I see regularly.

How do you overcome your challenges?

I wouldn't say overcome as much as embrace them. Like, I get up here, and I don't know what kind of night it's going to be. I could be, you know, passing as functional, or I can barely form a sentence. I'm just going to have to work with that.

What is easy about being a volunteer?

It’s pretty easy to love this place and the people in it. That’s what keeps me coming up, despite how I might be feeling about people in general.

The real challenge is just having the energy to get here in the first place. It was a lot easier when it was new—it was a total dopamine boost. But then life happens. Mental health declines, then it gets better, then it declines again. It’s like, ‘Please get me out of this hell.’

Even today, I was like, ‘Oh God, I don’t want to do the thing I signed up for,’ but I knew I had to. It’s just a lot easier to show up when you know there are people you like waiting for you. They’ll get it if I’m having an off day.

I can just show up and whatever effort I can give will be appreciated.

What is your previous volunteer experience?

None.

What are your hobbies?

Cross-stitch. Honestly, I think that’s my entire personality. I do some sewing on the side, like English paper piecing, but mostly I’m just figuring out interesting ways to finish my cross-stitch projects. You can only frame them or hang them on the wall so many times before you get bored. I’ve even started making my own designs—I actually made a tinyLowell Domeone recently.

Do you have a favorite planet, star, star system, nebula, cluster, galaxy?

M42 Orion's Nebula. It was the first one I ever saw through a telescope. It was, straight after the breakup. I got given $5,000 for my 18th birthday. I was like, let's get a telescope. It is a reflector And then that was the first thing I saw through it. I still own it!

Do you have a favorite telescope to look through or use?

My favorite one to use is always going to be the 14. It's so easy. But I love looking through the Obsession.

Any funky quotes you want to share that scream Bronte?

A journey in time and space …

Story and images by Arthur Harvey

This story begins a few years after I started volunteering, well before the POVG was handed the keys to the 'asylum'. At that time, I had access to the Observatory's telescopes and thought I would sell my 8" SCT and invest in an old telescope instead. Research quickly showed that this idea was fraught with danger. There were so many fakes, very realistic ones too, that such an investment seemed extremely risky.

During this research I came across the name 'Ramsden Circle'. Jesse Ramsden [1735–1800] was an English telescope maker, and his most famous instrument is located at the Palermo Observatory. Coincidentally, I was about to embark on my second [of four] motorcycle tours of Italy, travelling down the Amalfi Coast and around Sicily.

The Palermo Observatory sits within the Parliament precinct and is not open to the public. However, through my connection with Perth Observatory, Dr Donatella Randazzo, the Observatory's Librarian at the time, kindly invited me [along with two of my motorcycling/metallurgical mates] to see the Ramsden Circle.

This Ramsden Circle is noteworthy as the telescope used by Giuseppe Piazzi [1746–1826] to discover the minor planet Ceres in 1801. We were graciously guided through the Observatory by our host, who not only showed us the Ramsden Circle but also other historic telescopes, as well as the original telescope blueprints and Piazzi's handwritten notes recording his observations of Ceres between Jan 1 and Feb 11, 1801.

I later survived two more motorcycling tours of Italy and accumulated many hours volunteering at Perth Observatory. From my perspective, I've been fortunate to experience virtually every aspect of the POVG: SVNs under the guidance of the late Greg Lowe, NSTs, ENTs, SDTs, Astronomy 101, star adoptions with Geoff, recruitment and training, a term as Chair, off‐site and remote site visits, joint events with the WAO and WA Museum, meeting notable visitors and, perhaps most importantly, sharing many convivial evenings with volunteers and staff.

The story fast‐forwards to 2024 [time passes quickly when you’re doing something you enjoy] and the visit to PO by Dr Ileana Chinicci. Our Historian, Dr Craig Bowers, was away, and since Ileana is currently the Research Astronomer at Palermo Observatory, Paul Jones and I were keen to extend some reciprocal hospitality.

Credit: Wikipedia

Wearing her Scientific Instrument Commission [SIC] hat, Ileana was very impressed by our heritage clocks and telescopes. She particularly noted that these historical instruments remain in full working order and regular use.

The Scientific Instrument Commission is a constituent group within the Division of History of Science and Technology [DHST] under the International Union of History and Philosophy of Science and Technology [IUHPST], which ultimately falls under UNESCO.

Just as Palermo's Ramsden Circle is credited with the discovery of Ceres, our Calver telescope is notable for its role in the Wallal expedition for the 1921 solar eclipse. Dr Chinicci strongly recommended that our instruments be registered with the SIC and, if possible, featured in a presentation at the next SIC Symposium in Switzerland in September 2026.

Following discussions with Craig and with generous support from the POVG Board, I plan to deliver a poster presentation on our Kullberg and Synchronome clocks at the Symposium. Craig has drafted an abstract, and we are preparing the poster as this goes to print. I believe there will be lasting benefits in having our instruments recognised by this international organisation.

Of course, in the fullness of time, there will be a further report on this journey ...

Telescopes Under Western Australia’s Skies

Looking for an unforgettable night under the stars? Look no further than Perth Observatory’s offsite astronomy nights! As Western Australia’s leading Observatory, our experienced volunteers are dedicated to sharing the beauty and wonder of the night sky with people across the state.

Our team will bring their top-of-the-line telescopes and expertise to your town, suburb or school, providing you with a unique and immersive journey through the Southern Hemisphere’s celestial wonders. We will also guide you through the night sky with the help of our green lasers, teaching you about the stars, planets, nebulas, dying stars and enormous star clusters that populate our universe.

Whether you are an astronomy enthusiast or simply looking for a fun and educational experience, our offsite astronomy nights are the perfect way to explore the beauty and complexity of our universe. Request your night under the stars below and discover the magic of Perth Observatory!

ANNE MCCAFFREY'S THE SHIP WHO SANG

ARTICLE AND IMAGE BY JULIE MATHEWS

Recently I decided to re-visit one of my favourite authors—Anne McCaffrey—starting with the first of her brain ship series called ‘The Ship Who Sang’.

This book was originally five separate stories that were written and published between 1961 and 1969 that were then combined into a novel in 1969. It follows the story of Helva who is born with severe physical disabilities that wouldn’t have allowed her to survive early childhood. She does however have an excellent brain and so is put into the BrainShip program. Helva is integrated into an indestructible titanium shell becoming the brain of an intergalactic spaceship and the adventures begin.

Helva must choose a ‘brawn’, a mobile partner to work with on their combined missions which range from couriering important people or medicines to distant colonies, exploring new planets to foiling space pirates and very bad people.

I was once again totally blown away by the depth of technical knowledge shown by Anne McCaffrey. Like a lot of classic sci-fi writers, her ideas and details were many decades before their time. Could cyborgs be our future? We are already on our way with knee, hip and organ replacements. It’s obvious that everyone, no matter who they are or any problems they face have worth. She makes it all so logical, believable and gives us hope.

Almost 30 years later, McCaffrey agreed to continue the theme into what became known as the Brain Ship Series, in collaboration with Margaret Ball, Mercedes Lackey, SM Stirling and Jody Lynn Nye. All exceptional writers who have made the newer books less formal and much more engaging whilst not skimping on the technical details that we love. Each novel focuses on a different ‘Brain’ and their stories will have you up all night waiting to read what happens next. They have some common characters that pop up every now and then to link them all which adds a delightfully familiar touch.

My well-loved paperbacks are held together with sticky tape and sheer will attesting to the number of times I’ve read them over the past 36 or so years. The original Helva story is 50 years old inconceivable when you read how up to date and detailed McCaffrey’s ideas were.

So keep an eye out at the local second-hand bookstores and online for Anne McCaffrey you won’t be disappointed. She had many different fantastic series, but the titles in the Brain Ship series are:

�� The Ship Who Sang

�� Partnership (with Margaret Ball)

�� The Ship Who Searched (with Mercedes Lackey)

�� The City Who Fought (with S M Stirling)

�� The Ship Who Won (with Jody Lynn Nye)

�� The Ship Errant (with Jody Lynn Nye)

�� The Ship Avenged (with S M Stirling)

Of course I give them all 5 out of 5.

The marvellous Anne McCaffrey born on 1 April 1926 sadly passed away on 21 November 2011 (aged 85 to save you doing the maths) leaving behind an astonishing legacy of over 54 books, numerous short stories, accolades galore and was the first woman to win a Hugo Award for Fiction.

School Day Tours and STEM outreach—What’s been happening…

Article and images by Jo Ludlow

After much planning, adjusting and creating the School Day Tours Activities are now updated to align with the 2026 Science Curriculum. Our awesome team of volunteers have been kept busy with a tour every week since the beginning of January.

With the van loaded up with everything but the kitchen sink we headed off to our first School Incursion, where we presented two different activities to 93 students. It was a busy hot day and our awesome volunteers did an amazing job engaging each group. The teachers were pleasantly surprised when they received their resource packs.

So many of the students asked a lot of questions and wanted to send more via email. The sun was out and visible through the Solar Quest telescope so all the students were able to see the Sun and a few sunspots.

Our first pro bono tour for the year was presented in two parts. Ninety-four Year 5 and 6 students engaging in three activities meant we had too many sessions for one day. After a full day on Monday we were back there on Thursday for the last class.

A thunderstorm and rain out of the blue meant no Sun to be seen, so a quick fill-in activity was needed. The students had to survive on the Moon instead of gazing at the Sun.

often get asked why we do this, as it can be a challenge at times. My answer is this: a student comes running up to me at the end of the day and says thank you Miss, thank you so much for my astronomy pack and coming to show us the telescopes and teach us stuff. Space is awesome. He was so excited to be given an envelope with pictures of the planets, a ruler and a space activity booklet.

love this not because a student said thank you for stuff but because that student went away inspired and excited about astronomy and science. Who knows where that will lead... never expected my love of science would lead me to a place in the hills where everyone is so willing and keen to share their love of science and all things space.

Keeping up with the Curriculum

Article and images by Julie

Mathews

In February the trusty School Day Tours Team enjoyed a workshop at the Observatory with STEM Outreach Officer Jo Ludlowe explaining the changes to our state's education curriculum and how it would impact our current School Day Tour activities. Jo has been as busy as a beaver updating, renaming and revamping our activities to suit the changes. The biggest one of course will be our welcoming a younger audience with space studies now beginning from Year 2. We have new names for the activities too like 'Cosmic Mission to the Planets', 'Solar Detectives' and 'Celestial Cartographers'.

Jo has also begun incursions to schools to present activities. This is a venture we've been trying to get off the ground for many years, so it's wonderful to see it happening and how well it's being received.

Join our School Day Tours Team

Looking to volunteer and make a difference in the lives of primary school children? If you have free time during the day and a passion for learning about space and our solar system, we invite you to join our School Day Tours Team as a volunteer!

As a member of our team, you will have the opportunity to share your knowledge and enthusiasm with young students while learning from experienced educators. No prior experience is necessary, as we provide all the training you need.

If you enjoy working with children, this could be the perfect opportunity for you! All you need to bring is your enthusiasm, a friendly demeanour and the ability to communicate with children.

To learn more about how you can get involved, click below and let’s start making a difference in the lives of young students today.

We are still on the hunt for suggestions of a catchy name for the quarterly Perth Observatory newsletter. The competition is still open to win a Mars, Milky Way or a fridge magnet. Send your ideas now!

The rules:

No copyright infringement. You have a great idea? Excellent. Google it to make sure someone else doesn’t have it.

Must be original, unique and creative. May absolutely push the boundaries of sanity.

Can be quirky. Please, nothing average.

Must represent astronomy.

The words Perth Observatory need to be in it.

You will need to submit your email address, personal name (for credit), suggestion and choice of prize. In the next issue, we will vote on the names and the prize will be awarded for the name chosen.

NGC4755 Jewel Box

What’s In April’s Skies

By Louise Kaestner; Co-author ChatGPT

The Jewel Box—C94, NGC4755:

Nestled within the southern constellation of Crux lies one of the sky’s most exquisite treasures, the Jewel Box Cluster. To the naked eye it glows like a faint smear beside the dark edge of the Coal Sack Nebula, but through the telescope it explodes into brilliance. A scattering of sapphire, ruby and topaz lights adorn the black velvet of space, a celestial trinket box tipped open for us to admire. Astronomers know it as NGC 4755; an open cluster located about 6,400 light years away. When you see it, you understand why its 19th-century observer, John Herschel, described it as ‘a casket of variously coloured precious stones’.

The stars within this cluster are young, radiant and hot, their light still pure from the stellar nursery that birthed them some 14 million years ago. Most shine in vivid blue and white, though a single ruby-red supergiant near the centre gives the cluster its jewelled contrast. Like a brilliant brooch pinned to the night sky, the Jewel Box reminds us of the beauty that constant cosmic creation brings. Its colours tell a story of youth and fire, and when seen through the telescopes, it’s like looking into the universe’s own jewellery store, where time has paused and brilliance reigns eternal.

When looking upon the Jewel Box, one can’t help but imagine it as the universe’s way of showing off, laying out its finest ornaments in the smallest corner of the heavens. The varying hues reveal the secrets of stellar evolution, each colour marking a different stage in a star’s life. Blue stars burn fiercely and briefly, while the solitary red gem signals maturity and wisdom among the young. As the light from these stars travels across millennia to meet our eyes, it carries with it stories of creation and impermanence. To gaze upon this cluster is to witness both the exuberance of cosmic youth and the patience of time itself.

Alpha Centauri—Rigel Kentaurus, Toliman and Proxima:

Shining in our April southern skies, Rigel Kentaurus and Toliman form a striking pair, the twin hearts of Alpha Centauri. To the eye, they shimmer as one golden-white light, yet through the telescope they reveal a partnership of near equals. Rigel Kentaurus, a sun-like star, burns slightly brighter and warmer, while Toliman, its companion, glows in a gentler hue. They dance together in an orbital waltz that takes more than 79 years to complete, a cosmic duet echoing across the void.

Lurking farther out, tiny Proxima Centauri quietly watches this stellar performance. As the closest star to our Sun, it barely whispers light into our eyes, yet its presence carries weight. Around it orbit small worlds, one potentially Earth-like, caught between light and shadow. When we look toward Centaurus, we gaze not only at our celestial neighbours but at the whispering possibility of other homes waiting in the dark.

What’s In May’s Skies

By Louise Kaestner; Co-author ChatGPT

Omega Cenaturi—C80, NGC5139:

Hanging like a soft pearl in the southern sky, Omega Centauri is a sight that stops even seasoned stargazers in their tracks. What appears as a hazy ball to the naked eye bursts into countless stars through the telescope, a glittering sphere of light suspended in the dark. It is the brightest and largest globular cluster visible from Earth, a cosmic city of more than ten million suns bound together by gravity’s steady pull.

Each pinpoint of light within Omega Centauri tells its own story. Some are ancient, born shortly after the universe itself, their glow carrying the wisdom of time before Earth was even a thought. Others are younger, unexpected residents that hint this mighty cluster may once have been the heart of a small galaxy, cannibalised long ago by our Milky Way.

When we gaze upon it from, we witness a relic of the universe’s earliest days. Its soft shimmer humbles the viewer, reminding us that creation and collapse are two sides of the same dance, and that even in the vast silence of space, age can be beautiful beyond measure.

Southern Pinwheel Galaxy—M83, NGC5236:

Deep within the looped coils of the water snake, Hydra, dwells an elegant spiral known as the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy. To the eye through a telescope, it unfurls like a delicate seashell of light, its sweeping arms curling gracefully around a bright core. Located some 15 million light years away, it is a grand design spiral galaxy, one of the finest examples visible from our southern skies.

Within its luminous arms lie glowing regions of star birth, where vast clouds of gas ignite to form new suns. Dust lanes weave through the spiral like brushstrokes on a cosmic canvas, giving depth and texture to its glowing form. The blues and pinks of these nurseries shine as quiet proof that creation continues far beyond our solar neighbourhood.

When viewed under the clear night sky, the Southern Pinwheel seems to turn slowly in space, a living symbol of balance and grace. It reminds us that galaxies, like the seas and winds of Earth, move with rhythm and purpose, shaping the story of the universe one glittering revolution at a time.

What’s In June’s Skies

By Louise Kaestner; Co-author ChatGPT

The Emu in the Sky:

Stretching across the heart of the Milky Way lies the Emu in the Sky, a dark nebula shaped not by stars but by their absence. Unlike the bright constellations traced by points of light, this celestial figure is drawn in shadow, its form picked out by the inky dust clouds that block the starlight behind them. In autumn and winter, its long neck and body reach overhead from Scorpius to Crux, as though the great bird is running across the heavens.

For countless generations, First Nations Australians have recognised the Emu in the Sky as a vital seasonal marker. When its body stands high, it signals the time when real emus on the land are laying their eggs. Its movement and position across the year are part of a deep, living knowledge that ties sky and earth together, a story written in the stars yet read through darkness.

To gaze upon the Emu is to look not at what shines but what conceals. Its shadow tells a story as powerful as any shining constellation, a reminder that beauty often hides in silence and that the night sky is not made only of stars, but of the spaces between them.

Venus—Barnumbirr, Ishtar, Hesphoros:

As winter evenings settle over the western sky this June, Venus will shine like a polished lantern above the horizon. It glows with a steady silver light, bright enough to cast shadows and draw the eye long before the stars appear. Known since ancient times for its beauty, Venus is not just a planet but a symbol that speaks across cultures and ages, a heavenly mirror reflecting our fascination with light and love.

The ancient Sumerians called her Ishtar, goddess of desire and war, radiant twin of the morning and evening skies. To the Greeks, she was Hesperos, the evening star, gliding gently into twilight before yielding to the dark. Here in Australia, the Yolngu people know her as Barnumbirr, the Morning Star who guides the Sun’s first rising and connects the living with the ancestral realm.

When you see Venus after sunset this June, shining low in the dusk above Perth, it feels almost alive, whispering the same stories told for millennia. Its brilliance cuts through chill air and fading light, reminding us that even as night comes, there is always something that endures, shimmering with both mystery and memory.

Venus

Barnumbirr

Amateur Astronomer Cheat Sheet

Sidereal constellation June 2026: Gemini

Object type: 2nd planet from the Sun

Right Ascension and Declination vary

Distrance from the Sun: 0.7

Astronomical Units (AU)

Gravity: 0.9x Earth Mass: 81% of Earth

Width: 12,100 km

Solar Orbit: 225 days

Day: 243 days

Jewel Box

C94, NGC4755

Constellation: Southern Cross

Object type: Open cluster

Right Ascension: 12.54 hours

Declination: 60.22 South

Distance: 6400 light years

Magnitude: +4.2

Width: 25 light years

Alpha Centauri

Rigel Kentaurus, Toliman, Proxima

Omega Centauri

C80, NGC5139

Constellation: Centaurus

Object type: Globular cluster

Right Ascension: 13.27 hours

Declination: 47.29 South

Distance: 16000 light years

Magnitude: +3.9

Width: 170 light years

Constellation: Centaurus

Object type: Binary star

Right Ascenion: 14.40 hours

Declination: 60.50 South

Distance: 4.2 light years

Combined Magnitude: 0, +1.3, +11

Mass: 1.1, 0.9, 0.1

Distance between stars: 11-35 AU between Rigel Kent and Toliman, 12,000 to 13,000 AU between Proxima and the two bigger stars.

Download printable PDF Cheet Sheat

A Quick Look In The Astroshop!

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The Funny Side