The Schools' Observatory News
September 2025
Welcome Back!
We hope you had a well-deserved and relaxing summer break! Whether you spent your time travelling, exploring nature, or simply recharging, we hope it brought some sunshine and joy.
As the new school year begins, we’d like to wish you and your pupils a brilliant start to the term. We’re excited to continue supporting you with stellar resources, observing opportunities, and inspiring space science activities throughout the year.
Keep reading to see what’s new this month – and what’s coming up in the skies!
Grow Your Skills: New CPD Course!
We are delighted to announce our free CPD (Continuing Professional Development) courses including our brand-new secondary CPD course 'Introduction to Space Physics' and our popular primary CPD course 'Our Place in Space' for educators in the UK and Ireland who have registered with The Schools' Observatory.
The new materials are interactive, flexible, and tailored to your curriculum. You can explore a wide range of resources to utilise in the classroom, including topic knowledge and common misconceptions. You can explore these resources at your own pace and convenience.
Take a look at our Grow Your Skills page for more information!
We hope you enjoy the courses, and if you encounter any issues or have queries about either course, please get in touch at SchoolsObs@ljmu.ac.uk — we’d love to hear from you!
World Space Week 2025!
World Space Week (4th–10th October) is the world’s largest annual celebration of space, recognised by the United Nations. This year’s theme is “Space and Climate Change”, spotlighting how space technology helps us monitor and protect our planet.
As part of Space Week Ireland – the national STEM celebration which runs in parallel with World Space Week – our very own Dr Stacey Habergham-Mawson gave a talk introducing The Schools' Observatory and the fantastic free resources available to teachers in Ireland and across the globe. The talk has been featured in the Space Week Ireland Resource Pack 2025.
Explore the full resource pack for curriculum-aligned activities and ideas to help you go even further with this exciting theme!
Look to the Sky!
Plan your stargazing adventures with our September astronomy calendar! Download it to display at home or in the classroom. Get ready for an exciting month of celestial events, including Meteor showers and conjunctions between the Moon and some of the Solar System’s most impressive planets. Don’t miss out on what the night sky has to offer!
Download and display September's astronomy calendar!
