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Perth and Kinross · Scotland
Spiritual Perth
If you live in or near Perth, this page brings the night sky, the old sites and the seasons together in one place. It covers where to find properly dark skies, what the sun and moon are doing across the year at Perth's latitude (56.4°N), the heritage and folklore places nearby, and when to order so your crystals, tarot or candles arrive in time.
Scone Palace. Photo: Ingo Mehling, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Region Perth and Kinross
- Dark skies Tomintoul and Glenlivet (Cairngorms) Dark Sky Park
- Delivery UK delivery £3.95, free over £40, 2–5 working days
Places to visit
Real photographs, with directions. Tap a map link to open the exact spot.
History, folklore and tips
The history
Scottish kings were crowned on Moot Hill at Scone, on the Stone of Destiny, until it was taken to England in 1296. The Fortingall Yew, in Glen Lyon, is one of the oldest trees in Europe, thought to be 2,000 to 3,000 years old, though estimates vary.
Folklore and tradition
A legend says Pontius Pilate was born at Fortingall. It is pure tradition, but it is a famous one.
Visiting tips
- Scone Palace needs a ticket and opens seasonally.
- The Fortingall Yew is in the churchyard, free to see.
- The Cairngorms Dark Sky Park is north.
Stone connection
Cairngorm stone
Scottish smoky quartz from the Cairngorms, called cairngorm, was a favourite in Highland jewellery.
Read about smoky quartz →From the shop
Shop for Perth
Smoky quartz and crystals, delivered across Perthshire. UK delivery £3.95, free over £40, 2–5 working days.
Sky almanac for Perth
Dark skies and stargazing near Perth
Dark skies and stargazing near Perth
The nearest certified dark-sky place to Perth is Tomintoul and Glenlivet (Cairngorms) Dark Sky Park, about 95 km (59 miles) away as the crow flies. The next nearest is Northumberland International Dark Sky Park and Kielder, about 141 km (88 miles) away. The best nights are clear, moonless ones around a new moon. The next new moons are on 9 November, 9 December, 7 January, 6 February. Find event dates on the Tomintoul and Glenlivet website.
Sunrise, sunset and the moon in Perth
Sunrise, sunset and the moon in Perth
At the June solstice on 21 June 2027, the sun rises in Perth at about 04:23 and sets at about 22:07 (BST), giving 17h 43m of daylight, 65 minutes more than in London. At the December solstice on 21 December 2026 it rises at about 08:46 and sets at about 15:37 (GMT), giving only 6h 51m. Around the March equinox (20 March 2027), sunrise is about 06:19 and sunset about 18:25. Between roughly 4 May and 10 August, the sun never sinks far enough below the horizon for full astronomical darkness, so the faintest stars and the Milky Way are hard to see. At Perth's latitude, even nautical twilight lasts all night from about 30 May to 15 July. That gives the long, blue midsummer nights of the north, and is a good time to look for noctilucent clouds low in the northern sky. In folk tradition the full moon marks the month. The next full moons fall on 24 November, 24 December, 22 January, 20 February, 22 March. Times are calculated (NOAA formulas) and approximate.
Best times of year
Best times of year
For stargazing from Perth, the long nights from October to March are the most rewarding.
For the Perseids in August 2027 the moon is 84% lit and sets over Perth at about 00:44, so the best watching is after moonset and before dawn. Full darkness on 12 August starts around 00:27 at 56.4°N.
The Quadrantids peak on the night of 3–4 January 2027 with the moon 12% lit. They are short and sharp, best after midnight, and the January cold means layers and a flask are essential.
Give your eyes 20 minutes to adjust and keep phone screens dim. The nearest certified dark site is Tomintoul and Glenlivet (Cairngorms) Dark Sky Park, about 95 km from Perth.
On 2 August 2027 a partial solar eclipse is visible across the UK, weather permitting. Never look at the sun without certified eclipse glasses.
Perth: local questions
Where is the nearest dark sky reserve to Perth?
The nearest certified dark-sky place is Tomintoul and Glenlivet (Cairngorms) Dark Sky Park, roughly 95 km away in a straight line.
What time is sunrise in Perth on the summer solstice?
About 04:23 BST on 21 June 2027, with sunset about 22:07.
Are there ancient or sacred sites near Perth?
Yes. Nearby places include Scone Palace and Moot Hill, The Fortingall Yew. See the heritage section for details.
How much is delivery to Perth?
UK delivery to Perth is £3.95 and free on orders over £40. Most orders arrive within 2–5 working days.
Photographs are from Wikimedia Commons under the licences shown, resized and converted for the web. Folklore is described as tradition. Starseed UK makes no health claims for any product.