Curious about the night sky? Whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned observer, MPAS is a welcoming community of around 400 amateur astronomers on the Mornington Peninsula. You don’t need experience, and you don’t need a telescope — just an interest in looking up.
Why join
Dark-sky observatory access
Observe at the Mount Martha Observatory at the Briars — a powered dark-sky site with a wide range of telescopes, a comfortable drive from Melbourne. Loan telescopes are available, and there’s always help getting the best from your own.
A friendly community
A welcoming group who love to share what they know — at least one members’ social viewing night a month, plus working-bee BBQs, Telescope Learning Days, star parties and the annual Christmas star-be-cue.
Monthly meetings & talks
Monthly meetings at the Briars Astronomy Centre with member presentations, guest speakers, Sky for the Month, and the latest in astronomy and science. Visitors are always welcome.
Scorpius & the library
The bi-monthly Scorpius magazine, the E-Scorpius email group and members’ Facebook group for breaking news, and a library of hundreds of astronomy books, videos and journals.
Become a member
Single, family and pensioner memberships are available for 1 year or 5 years (5 years for the price of 4). A one-off $30 joining fee for new members covers your name badge and administration. Membership is open to all — under-16s with a supervising adult. Choose your category and join online below.
Can’t see the membership options? Join via our TryBooking page, or contact us and we’ll help.
Renewing your membership
Annual subscriptions are due 1 January. Renew before 1 February to keep your membership active — after that it lapses and the joining fee applies again. Current members receive a renewal link by email.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need experience or my own telescope?
Not at all. Members come from all sorts of backgrounds and happily share what they know — you don’t have to be an expert. We run training and workshop events covering everything from basic setup to astrophotography, solar viewing, software and cosmology. If you do own a telescope, we’re glad to help you set it up and use it well.
Who can join?
Membership is open to all. Anyone under 16 needs to be accompanied by a supervising adult.
Where do members come from?
We have around 400 members, making us one of the larger volunteer astronomical societies in the Southern Hemisphere. Most are from the Melbourne metro, the south-eastern suburbs and the regions around the Mornington Peninsula — though members come from right across Victoria.
Can MPAS visit our school or group?
Yes — we run educational stargazing nights and talks for schools and community groups, either as an excursion to our observatory or an incursion at your venue. Demand is strong for the best nights, so please book early. See Astronomy for Schools for details.