Warrendi Kara is a home observatory operating in Brisbane, Australia, adjacent to the Seven Hills Bushland Reserve. From here (and around Australia) I search the heavens for eclipses, comets, meteors, solar storms, conjunctions, occultations, transits and other cool astronomical events.
Purpose
Some people fish, some people ride Harley's. Me? I look at the sky any chance I get. It's awesome. I want to search out rare, unique or otherwise interesting events and watch, photograph or somehow record them so I can share the experience and how I did it.
The Observatory
It's basically a 10 foot square shed (aka man cave) - BUT... the roof rolls off so I get a full view of the sky. Well pretty clear anyway; as you can see there's a few trees around and I haven't worked out how to get them to fold down when the roof opens.
Capabilities
MOBILE: My favourite optical targets are eclipses and skyscapes (especially where there's a great sunset conjunction or landscape involved). These are captured wherever I can get to them, with the mobile equipment setup shown below.
The main focus involves extending the capability for solar observation, so I can essentially see the Sun across a much broader spectrum.
Purpose
Some people fish, some people ride Harley's. Me? I look at the sky any chance I get. It's awesome. I want to search out rare, unique or otherwise interesting events and watch, photograph or somehow record them so I can share the experience and how I did it.
It's basically a 10 foot square shed (aka man cave) - BUT... the roof rolls off so I get a full view of the sky. Well pretty clear anyway; as you can see there's a few trees around and I haven't worked out how to get them to fold down when the roof opens.
Capabilities
MOBILE: My favourite optical targets are eclipses and skyscapes (especially where there's a great sunset conjunction or landscape involved). These are captured wherever I can get to them, with the mobile equipment setup shown below.
- Camera: Canon EOS 550D
- Lens: Sigma 150-500mm f/6.3
- Lens: Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5
- Filters: Solar
- Scope: Celestron C8 SCT f/10
- Scope: Skywatcher ED100 f/9
- Mount: iOptron iEQ45
- Camera: Web cam
- Filters: Solar
- Continuous scanning Radio Solar Spectroscope
The main focus involves extending the capability for solar observation, so I can essentially see the Sun across a much broader spectrum.
- Magnetometer to pick up solar impacts on our magnetic field
- Hydrogen Alpha (Ha) scope to see solar flares and prominences
Origin of the name
The name "Warrendi Kara" roughly means "search the heavens" in the Kaurna Language. Kaurna people are the traditional owners in my home in the Willunga district, South Australia.
The name "Warrendi Kara" roughly means "search the heavens" in the Kaurna Language. Kaurna people are the traditional owners in my home in the Willunga district, South Australia.
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