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30/05/25 0

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The Moon through the clouds earlier tonight.

June's Full Moon is called the Strawberry Moon. Despite the name, tonight’s Full Moon won’t look red or pink — the name Strawberry Moon comes from North American Indigenous traditions marking the strawberry harvest.

#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

You might've seen in the media that June's Full Moon is called the Strawberry Moon. Despite the name, tonight’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!

Tonight’s Moon will rise around 5pm in the southeast and is the lowest full moon of the year for us in the Southern Hemisphere — which means it may look extra big and golden-orange near the horizon. A perfect photo op

Great viewing spots around Perth 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

🌏✨ Happy WA Day from Perth Observatory! ✨🌏

Today, we celebrate this vast, beautiful state we’re lucky enough to call home — Western Australia. From the sweeping goldfields to the shimmering coastline, from our wild outback skies to the bustling city lights, WA is a land of contrasts, history, and wonder.

And there’s no better way to appreciate just how incredible it is than from above the Earth 🌌🚀

Here are some images of our stunning state as captured from space — where its size, beauty, and isolation shine like nowhere else on the planet.

As WA’s oldest observatory, we’ve spent more than 125 years looking up — but today, we’re taking a moment to look back down with awe and gratitude.

Happy WA Day, legends! 💙💫

#Perth #WA #perthnews #wanews #communitynews #westernaustralia #WADay #PerthObservatory #WesternAustralia #FromSpace #StargazingWA #LoveWA #AstronomyAustralia #OurWA #LookUpWA #perthlife #perthhappenings #perthgram #seeperth #ThisisWA #wanderoutyonder #justanotherdayinwa #WAtheDreamState #experiencewa #perthobservatory #perthobs

Our @matthewlwwoods was tempted to go to Mount Dale tonight to get the photos of the Aurora Australis, but the cloudy weather was way too close. So, he ended up continuing onto Boyagin Rock near Brookton and got an hour of clear, peaceful weather.

#Perth #WA #perthnews #wanews #communitynews #westernaustralia #astronomy #astronomynews #space #spacenews #auroraaustralis #aurora #southernlights #solarstorm #stargazing #astrophotography #photography #nightphotography #astrotourismwa #astrotourism #perthlife #perthgram #seeperth #ThisisWA #wanderoutyonder #justanotherdayinwa #WAtheDreamState #experiencewa #perthobservatory #perthobs

Our @matthewlwwoods was tempted to go to Mount Dale tonight to get the photos of the Aurora Australis, but the cloudy weather was way too close. So, he ended up continuing onto Boyagin Rock near Brookton and got an hour of clear, peaceful weather to create this timelapse.

#Perth #WA #perthnews #wanews #communitynews #westernaustralia #astronomy #astronomynews #space #spacenews #auroraaustralis #aurora #southernlights #solarstorm #stargazing #astrophotography #photography #nightphotography #astrotourismwa #astrotourism #perthlife #perthgram #seeperth #ThisisWA #wanderoutyonder #justanotherdayinwa #WAtheDreamState #experiencewa #perthobservatory #perthobs

UPDATE: The CME has arrived

🌌 AURORA ALERT – PLEASE READ IN FULL! 🌌

We’ve had a quiet run in WA when it comes to the Aurora Australis since the 1st of January – mainly because the Sun’s recent eruptions have been firing in every direction except ours. Typical luck, hey?

That might be about to change...

A Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) was launched from the Sun following an M8.32-class solar flare, which peaked at 08:05 AWST (00:05 UTC) on May 31st. SOHO coronagraph images show a full halo – a strong sign this CME is Earth-directed.

We’re now in waiting mode for its arrival, which could spark a G4 (Severe) geomagnetic storm. There's no rush to get out the door just yet – but now’s the time to get prepared.

The current forecast suggests arrival early this evening, with effects potentially lasting up to 24 hours. If the conditions line up – particularly the magnetic field’s orientation – we could be treated to a brilliant auroral display.

☁️ WEATHER WOES (OF COURSE)

As always, the weather might play spoiler, but there are some signs of clearing tonight. Stay across the latest forecasts via:

• BOM – http://bom.gov.au
• Windy.com – https://windy.com
• SkippySky – http://skippysky.com.au

🌠 AURORA SPOTTING IS A PATIENT PERSON’S GAME

Auroras, like comets, meteor showers, and cats, do their own thing. Patience is everything. I chased the October 2024 aurora for five nights before it finally lit up the sky. So, use this time to unwind, enjoy the stars (or clouds), and recharge the brain.

🔭 HELPFUL RESOURCES

• PacMan Space Weather Facebook Page – https://bit.ly/4jCfhDx
• Aurora Australis Western Australia Facebook Group – https://bit.ly/3m0t3r7
• Glendale Aurora App – https://aurora-alerts.uk/
• Earth Null School – https://bit.ly/3FLQH0X

📍 BEST VIEWING LOCATIONS IN WA

You want a clear view to the south, far from city lights. Top spots include:

• North Ledge Lookout & C. Y. O’Connor Lake Lookout at Mundaring Weir
• Lake Leschenaultia
• Central Wheatbelt
• Herron Point & Island Reserve
• Coastal favourites like Esperance, Albany, Denmark, Ferguson Valley, and Cape Leeuwin

Congrats to Marcus, and our friends at Curtin Univ

🛸🍔 Happy National Hamburger Day! 🍔🛸

Sure, you could celebrate with a trip to your favourite burger joint...

OR you could gaze 10–16 million light-years away at the biggest cosmic burger in the sky: Centaurus A, aka the Hamburger Galaxy! 🌌

This juicy beauty features:
🍞 Two fluffy-looking halves of stars and gas
🍔 A thick, dark band of cosmic dust acting like the beef patty
🧠 A supermassive black hole in the centre (cheese optional)

Centaurus A is one of the closest active galaxies to Earth — blasting out powerful radio waves and X-rays like it’s trying to cook its own space burger. 🔥🌭

Swipe right on the sky tonight and enjoy a side of stargazing with your burger! 🍟✨

#Perth #WA #perthnews #wanews #communitynews #westernaustralia #perthevent #perthevents #perthtodo #perthlife #perthisok #perthgram #perthhappenings #stargazing #NationalHamburgerDay #HamburgerGalaxy #CentaurusA #SpaceBurger #GalacticGoodness #AstronomyWithAWhiffOfBBQ #PerthObservatory #StargazeAndSnag #perthobservatory #perthobs

@SpaceX will attempt to launch another Starship on Wednesday, starting from 7:30 am AWST. Watch the launch here: https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-9

It will use Ship 35 (S35) and Booster 14-2 (B14-2), making it the first reflight of a Super Heavy Booster. Starship 35 features two new holes in its nosecone, and it is the first ship to be stacked with a scaled-back thermal protection system (TPS) on its side, like that first tested on Starship 31 on Starship Flight Test 6. It has likely received even more reinforcements, fixes and modifications based on flight data obtained from the failure of its 2 predecessors to fix the inherent flaws of the Block 2 ships.

Since Flight 7 and Flight 8 both ended in a Ship disintegration, the goal will likely be to safely bring back a Block 2 Ship (Ship 35) from orbit, with a water landing. Ship 35 is planned to deploy 8 Starlink simulators, similar in size to next-generation Starlink satellites, into the same suborbital trajectory as the Ship itself.

Unlike the previous four launches, Booster 14 will not attempt a catch at the launch tower and will be used to test several experiments, including controlling the booster flip direction via welded vents added to the hot staging ring that should let S35's exhaust flip the booster into the right direction for the boost-back burn, a more efficient high-angle-of-attack booster return, and engine-out capability during the final 3-engine landing burn by having an engine in the center 3 be intentionally shut off, and the booster will try to compensate by automatically re-lighting an engine from the outer ring of 13. Booster 14 will also have a hard splashdown in the ocean.

#perth #wa #perthnews #wanews #communitynews #space #spacenews #westernaustralia #perthlife #perthgram #perthevents #perthhappenings #Starship #IFT9 #starbase #LaunchAmerica #elonmusk #superheavy #SpaceFuture #InnovationInSpace #SpaceXlaunch #Rocket #RocketLaunch #spacecraft #SpaceX #BocaChica #Texas #LonghornState #perthobservatory #perthobs

Towel Day is celebrated as a tribute to the author Douglas Adams by his fans. Today, fans openly carry a towel, as described in Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, to demonstrate their appreciation for the books and the author.

#perth #wa #westernaustralia #perthlife #perthhappenings #towelday #towelday2025 #towel #towels #douglasadams #towelselfie #hitchhikersguidetothegalaxy #dontpanic #perthobservatory #perthobs

Bring your bestie to this fun Glow in the dark "Un

Yay! The Mother's Day Meteorite has been found

Congrats to country police officer Marcus and Curtin University's Desert Fireball Network (DFN) on finding it. Ellie and Hadrien from the DFN are continuing the search for more pieces in the two other possible landing sites in the next couple of days.

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

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