With Alyshia away, Leon and Morgan guide you through everything you can see in the night sky in March.

They talk about planets, stars, the moon... the moon... the moon... they talk about the moon a lot. Theres just so much going on with it!

Stay up to date on all the space news with monthly 'The Sky Tonight' articles on our website: WA science. Done different. | Particle

This episode Alyshia and Leon discuss the exciting Artemis II launch returning humans to the moon. Space fails include the Cancellation of Mars Sample Return, an Indian Polar Satelite Rocket Explodes taking 14 satellites with it - oops! Alyshia's brain breaks and Leon received yet ANOTHER spam call during recording.

Night sky - Jupiter, Canis Minor.

Space Pics

Artemis II Movie Poster

https://assets.science.nasa.gov/content/dam/science/missions/webb/science/2026/01/STScI-01KCMATAPPC5QXWSD5BM6VRT9M.png

Space pictures

Alyshia - James Webb Helix Nebula

1. https://assets.science.nasa.gov/content/dam/science/missions/webb/science/2026/01/STScI-01KCMATAPPC5QXWSD5BM6VRT9M.png
2. Comparison Video - https://youtu.be/F3nm9oUggrE?si=kz2KmS17NrSGO72w

Leon - Crawler Preps for Artemis II Rollout.

https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/nasas-crawler-preps-for-artemis-ii-rollout/

Mars Sample Return Video -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9G36CDLzIg&t=1s

Australian of the Year

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jan/25/astronaut-katherine-bennell-pegg-named-australian-of-the-year-for-2026

This month, join the Please Look Up team for this special episode of reflection - looking back on our favourite moments from the year of 2025.

Leon and Alyshia will be back in February well rested and ready to return to regular space news programming.

But fear not! We wouldn't leave you without your monthly dose of space news. If you want to read about what's happening in the night sky in January, check out the latest 'The Sky Tonight,' on the Particle website.

Just click this link: WA science. Done different. | Particle

Enjoy the last faint glimpses of the milky way for the year and cast your eyes instead on Jupiter which is shining brightly this month. If you whip out a telescope you may even be able to see Saturn and Neptune to add to your planet tally! And Pisces gives you your monthly dose of mythological family shenanigans.

As for space news, the New Glenn rocket investigates Mars’ “absolutely spaghetti mess piss-weak magnetic field.”

Important dates this month!

December 5th - Super Full Moon

December 14th - Geminids Meteor Shower

December 21 - Summer Solstice

To see the space pictures of the month:

Alyshia's

Image-1.jpg (640×800)

Image-2.jpg (650×366)

Leon's

Explosion-du-Booster-18-SpaceX-devra-repousser-le-vol-12-de-Starship-v3.jpg (800×533)

• Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No... it's a supermoon!
• Grab a mirror because November is the best month to look at Uranus.
• Leon's namesake meteor shower.
• It's raining space junk, but has anyone ever been hit by it?
• How Leon broke Scitech.

Enjoy, and we'll see you next month to talk about the night sky in December.

If you're at all interested in the pictures discussed throughout this audio medium, you can find them here:

Lottie Williams

Alyshia's space pictures of the month: Image 1 Image 2

The October sky is just like Leon's resting heart rate... chill as hell.

There's still stuff to see though! The milky way, triangles (like, official ones, not just three random stars connected), meteors and not to mention it's the best time of year to see Mercury!

Additionally, Leon and guest host Alyshia embark on side quests including but not limited to alleged alien sightings, menstruating in space and coming up with the worst puns possible.

Sexual References

Coarse Language viewer discretion advised

Morgan joins Leon this episode, & asks all the hard hitting (not silly) questions.

Theres a Total Eclipse of the Blood Moon to look out for. The oddly named Scutum is the constellation of the month & UY Scuti could swallow our entire solar system.

Recapping the epic National Science week Mission Space project. Celebrating 10 years since the discovery of gravitational waves, listening to the ancient sounds of the universe & how we found a vintage playboy magazine containing a question about .... space junk?!

For more space stuff check out Leon's Monthly Blog "The Sky Tonight"

https://www.scitech.org.au/explore/the-sky-tonight/

Stuff we will see: It's all about the Milkyway in August (just look up!)

Stuff we won't see: Southern Hemisphere misses out on the Perseid meteor shower (lucky you if you're in the north!)

Planets: Jupiter and Venus get close and personal in the morning of the 12th & 13th August. Something something optics, physics.

Constellation of the Month: Norma - The Set Square.

Beth gets constellation bias thinking about Norma and it's lack of greek mythology, but there's something mysterious hiding out there just beyond our view. called "the great attractor."

Star Stories: Earth & it's many meanings to many peoples.

Space Fail of the Month: An Artemis Rocket Booster went BOOM!

Space Picture of the Month:

- Beth - NASA Apollo mission patches https://particle.scitech.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/7995383large-1.jpg

- Leon - Solid Rocket Boosters

https://particle.scitech.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/boosterstar.png

Space Flight Focus: Gilmore Space - Eris 1 (Recorded before it launched and will feature more in our September episode)

More space stuff:

https://www.scitech.org.au/explore/the-sky-tonight/

Science news from WA:

WA science. Done different. | Particle

The Vera Rubin Observatory has a 3.2 gigapixel camera (yes, gigapixel) and a mission to scan the entire night sky every three days for the next decade. Total cost? A cool $1 billion. Worth it? We think so.

We unpack what this mega project means for science, why Vera Rubin never got a Nobel Prize (but should have), and how her work on dark matter changed the game.

Also in this episode:

• July is peak Milky Way season so rug up, head outside and look up
• Learn to spot the Dark Emu, a brilliant Aboriginal constellation made of shadows, not stars
• Venus and Jupiter are stealing the morning show if you're up early enough
• Space junk is piling up with over 130 million bits of debris bigger than a centimetre floating around. We talk about why that matters and who’s keeping an eye on it

Stuff we mention:

• emudreaming.com – for more on Aboriginal astronomy
• scitech.org.au – if you want to keep learning locally

In this episode:

What's Up This Month? [01:00] Beth and Leon spin left for winter skies, chasing the Milky Way across the southeast and spotting Venus on your morning coffee run.

Constellation of the Month: [10:00] Tucked between showier neighbours, Lupus isn’t the flashiest, but it’s got myth, mystery, and a surprise link to Harry Potter. No, really.

Solstice Shenanigans [20:00] The 21st brings the darkest day of the year (aka perfect stargazing). Beth explains how to track the Sun with your shadow—and why Esperance has the real Stonehenge.

Spaceflight Focus: [30:00] Australia’s first homegrown orbital rocket launch… didn’t quite launch. Beth and Leon unpack the Gilmore Space Vegemite-fuelled debacle and remind us that nobody died, so it’s fine to laugh. A little.

*Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of sexual assault and a survivor’s experience. This content occurs between 40:00 and 52:40.

In this episode:

What’s Up This Month? [01:00] Celebrate Star Wars Day by heading outside on May 4th at exactly 7:13pm! Beth and Leon walk us through how to spot a perfect first quarter moon, locate Mars, and catch the International Space Station fly directly between Castor and Pollux in Gemini. Also featuring: the tiny Canis Minor, and the surprisingly lion-like Leo constellation.

Constellation of the Month: Leo the Lion [10:00] It’s Leon’s time to shine! The crew explores Leo, a constellation that actually resembles its namesake. Learn how to find it in the northern sky this month, how its stars form a backwards question mark, and how both ancient Greeks and Arab astronomers imagined the same great lion in the sky.

Star Stories: The Nemean Lion and Regulus [20:10] Dive into the mythology behind Leo, including Hercules’ impossible battle against the Nemean Lion and the clever trick (or divine advice) that helped him skin the beast. Plus: Harry Potter trivia, the meanings behind Regulus and Denebola, and what Arabic star names reveal about ancient cross-cultural astronomy.

Meteor Showers and Planet Gazing: The Eta Aquarids [33:40] Set your alarms! The Eta Aquarid meteor shower peaks in the early morning hours of May 5th and 6th. With the moon out of the way and meteors zipping by at 70 km/s, this is one of the best sky shows of the year. Bonus: look east to spot Venus, Saturn, and even distant Neptune (with a telescope).

Star Stories II: Neptune the Freshwater God [40:55] Neptune wasn't always the god of the sea! Beth explains how this Roman deity originally ruled over springs and rivers, and only later took on Poseidon's oceanic identity. Hear about Neptunalia—the ancient summer festival of shade, wine, and cool water—and the odd tale of how Neptune ended up inside his father Saturn.

Space Picture of the Month [TBA] …Was there one? Maybe. Possibly. We were distracted by imaginary sausage dogs in the sky. (Sorry, Canis Minor.)

Join Leon and Beth (with special April Fool's guest Producer Morgan!) for your monthly dose of space news, astronomy tips, and cosmic commentary—recorded at SciTech on Whadjuk Noongar land.

In this episode:

What's Up This Month? [01:00] Beth guides us through the southern sky as the Southern Cross returns, marking the rise of the spectacular Milky Way and the famous dark Emu.

Star Stories: Saturn and Too Many Moons [09:25] Beth dives into the mythology surrounding Saturn (Cronus)—god of time, agriculture, and oddly enough, Christmas traditions. Plus, what's up with Saturn's 274 moons?!

Constellation of the Month: Cancer the Crab [27:10] Leon reveals the secrets of Cancer, the faintest zodiac constellation, including how to find the famous Beehive Cluster, a nearby exoplanet system, and some strangely named stars (featuring two donkeys!).

Spaceflight Focus: Return from the ISS and Media Missteps [44:03] Leon and Beth discuss astronauts Butch and Suni's long-awaited return from the International Space Station and reflect critically on media coverage surrounding their mission.

Space Picture of the Month (01:06): The return of the favourite segment, Space Picture of the Month!

Turn your gaze southward to the vast Argo Navis, the great celestial ship, and discover Lepus, the mysterious celestial hare nestled beneath Orion. Plus, Leon and Beth break down the March equinox, explaining how the Earth’s slow wobble has changed the stars we see over thousands of years.

Whether you’re a seasoned stargazer or just looking up for the first time, this episode will help you navigate the cosmos from your own backyard!

Find out why Venus and Saturn are cozying up in the west, when to catch Earth at perihelion, and why Mars is shining brighter than ever. Plus, we’ll uncover the secrets of open star clusters, the legendary Eskimo Nebula, and the mythological twins of Gemini.

Whether you’re an experienced astronomer or a curious observer, we’ve got everything you need to make the most of this month’s night sky. Don’t miss your chance to catch 2025’s best view of Mars!

Please Look Up is brought to you by Particle and powered by Scitech, your ultimate guide to the cosmos!

From the brightest constellations to the most exciting planetary alignments, we've got you covered. Plus, stay up to date with the latest discoveries and stories in space exploration.

Please Look Up is brought to you by Particle and powered by Scitech—your ultimate guide to the cosmos!

Head to our Instagram @particlewa to see photos from the episode. Show notes can be found on our website at particle.scitech.org.au

Featuring Antares (the moral enemy of Mars), Hydra (the giant snake) and Alphard (the lonely Librarian). Beth rants about space tourism, and Leon nerds-out over a "really cool graph."

Discussed this month:

• The Winter Solstice
• Planets: Mercury, Saturn, Mars & Jupiter
• Constellations: Scorpius & Hydra
• Stars: Antares, Alphard,
• Space Flight Focus: Blue Origin, New Shepard.

Space Pictures of the Month:

Earth and Moon as viewed from Mars

https://science.nasa.gov/resource/earth-and-moon-as-viewed-from-mars/

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Malin Space Science Systems

Percentage of World's Population in Daylight or Twighlight

Credit: timeanddate.com

https://www.timeanddate.com/news/astronomy/99-percent-sunlight

Credits:

Hosts: Beth Maskall, Leon Smith.

Recording, Mixing, and Editing: Alyshia Gatani

Please Look Up is recorded at Scitech on Whadjuk Noongar Land.

We embrace Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first STEM practitioners, and value their knowledge as the very first astronomers, engineers, problem-solvers and innovators of this land. ​

We pay our respects to the Elders past, present and emerging.

Want more?

For more Western Australian space news, and content checkout:

The Sky Tonight - Monthly Update | Scitech

WA science. Done different. | Particle (scitech.org.au)

First, what's in the sky this month, including an amazing solar eclipse that you'll be able to watch... over live stream, because it happens on the other side of the world.

Space Flight Focus: How is SpaceX going with launching the biggest ever rocket? Well, Leon boldly forecasts that their Starships will be carrying cargo within the year.

Space Picture of the Month: We're back with more super radio friendly content. Visit our Instagram to see the pictures, and listen along as Beth talks about seeing ourselves from space, and Leon describes how the Landsat program captures data from space that can help us understand how earth is changing.

Constellation of the Month: Puppis (with special mention of a nebula that looks like a zucchini and smells like a rotten egg).

Find more space news on the Particle website

If you have a question about space, reach out on instagram. We might be able to answer it in an upcoming episode. Find us @particlewa

Credits

Hosts: Leon Smith, Beth Maskall

Producers: Michelle Aitken, Zaya Altangerel

First, what's in the sky this month as usual.

Space Flight Focus: Beth asks Leon about recent attempts to land on the moon and whether we'd call them successes or failures.

Space Picture of the Month: The duo challenge each other to describe pictures of space. See what they're talking about on our Instagram.

Constellation of the Month: Carina (and Leon manages to talk about Dune Part 2.)

Find more WA space news on the Particle website

If you have a question about space, message us on Instagram! We might be able to answer it in an upcoming episode. Find us @particlewa

Credits

Hosts: Leon Smith and Beth Maskall

Producers: Michelle Aitken, Zaya Altangerel

The duo also discuss what went wrong with the second Space X Starship launch.

To find out more about WA space news, visit: www.particle.scitech.org.au/category/space/

Credits

Host: Leon Smith

Guest: Amanda Hunter

Producer: Zaya Altangerel, Michelle Aitken, Alyshia Gatani

The duo also discuss how scientists are going to calculate the weight of our universe.

To find out more about WA space news, visit: www.particle.scitech.org.au/category/space/

Credits

Host: Leon Smith

Guest: Sharna Lambert

Producer: Zaya Altangerel

The duo also discuss how and why we are studying two different asteroids – Bennu and Psyche.

To find out more about the WA space news, visit: www.particle.scitech.org.au/category/space/

Credits

Host: Leon Smith

Guest: Beth Maskall

Producer: Zaya Altangerel

The duo also update us on the Chandrayaan-3 mission. And give us the hot details on India's newest space mission to study the Sun with ADITYA-L1.

To find out more about the WA space news, visit: www.particle.scitech.org.au/category/space/

Credits

Host: Leon Smith

Guest: Amanda Hunter

Producer: Zaya Altangerel

In addition to highlighting the constellations and planets visible in the WA sky this month, Amanda answers the question of "What exactly is a blue moon?"

The duo also talk about photographing black holes, and the launch of Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft.

To find out more about the WA space news, visit: www.particle.scitech.org.au/category/space/

Credits

Host: Leon Smith

Guest: Amanda Hunter

Producers: Zaya Altangerel, Michael Gatt & Alyshia Gatani

Join us as we discover the:

• purpose of the ground-breaking telescope
• meaning behind the MWA's Wajarri name
• MWA's influence on the Australian economy
• importance of saving ALL your data and more!

For more WA space news visit: www.particle.scitech.org.au/

To learn more about the Murchison Widefield Array, visit: www.mwatelescope.org/

Credits

Host: Leon Smith

Guest: Professor Steven Tingay

Producers: Zaya Altangerel, Michael Gatt & Alyshia Gatani

The duo discuss the importance of the Euclid Consortium and try to sum up 'dark matter' and 'dark energy' in a few short minutes.

To find out more about the WA space news, visit: www.particle.scitech.org.au/category/space/

Credits

Host: Leon Smith

Guest: Sharna Lambert

Producers: Zaya Altangerel & Michael Gatt

The duo highlight the constellation of Ophiuchus 'the serpent-bearer' and guide you on how to spot Venus, Mercury, and Jupiter.

Amanda also highlights the importance of a space mission called JUICE.

To find out more about the WA space news, visit: www.particle.scitech.org.au/category/space/

Credits

Host: Leon Smith

Guest: Amanda Hunter

Producer: Zaya Altangerel

The duo also recount the launch of Space X Falcon 9 rocket. Some say it was a complete failure, others say it was a great success. Find out why the event was so polarising.

To find out more about the WA space news, visit: www.particle.scitech.org.au/category/space/

Credits

Host: Leon Smith

Guest: Damon Hill

Producers: Zaya Altangerel & Michael Gatt

The duo also discuss how our galaxy is changing and what working at ICRAR is like.

For more WA space news visit: www.particle.scitech.org.au/ To learn more about Dr Cook's research, visit: www.icrar.org/people/rcook/

Credits

Host: Leon Smith

Guest: Dr Robin Cook

Producers: Zaya Altangerel and Michael Gatt

Highlights of their discussion include :

• Why everyone is so excited about this upcoming eclipse

• What makes a 'hybrid' eclipse

• How best to view the eclipse

If you've already heard enough about the eclipse, the duo also highlights all the different constellations and planets you can look out for in the WA night sky this month.

Credits

Host: Leon Smith

Guest: Brandi Wahl

Producer: Zaya Altangerel

To find out more about WA space news, visit: https://particle.scitech.org.au/category/space/

Credits Host: Leon Smith Guest: Damon Hill Producers: Zaya Altangerel & Michael Gatt