WHOO!

WHOO! is the astronomical observatory of the Physics Institute at Silesian University in Opava, Czech Republic, tucked on the fourth floor of the Institute's building in the town centre.

About WHOO!

Run by the Fyzikální ústav Slezské univerzity v Opavê (Physics Institute of Silesian University in Opava), the observatory is a working research and teaching facility at Bezručovo náměstí 13 in Opava, at an elevation of about 290 metres.

History

The observatory's primary telescope was installed in 2022, making WHOO! one of the newer astronomical facilities associated with a Czech university.

Telescopes & research

Its main instrument is a 450mm Newtonian reflector at f/3.8 on a direct-drive parallactic mount, backed up by a secondary 250mm Meade telescope. Imaging runs through a Moravské Přístroje C3-61000 PRO monochromatic CMOS camera with a seven-position filter wheel (L, B, V, R, I, Hα, OIII). The team uses this setup for CCD photometry of variable stars and transiting exoplanets, contributing observations to the Czech Astronomical Society's database and to observation campaigns run with Charles University.

Location & getting there

WHOO! is based in Opava, in the Czech Republic, part of Europe's dense cluster of university and amateur observatories. Its central, fourth-floor location makes it easy to reach on foot from within the town.

Visiting WHOO!

The observatory runs scheduled viewing sessions for groups of up to ten people. Check the official website for current booking details and availability before you plan a visit.

See your named star from here

Because WHOO!'s telescopes can be pointed at any set of celestial coordinates, staff can in principle locate a star named through Star Register using the right ascension and declination on your certificate. Explore other named stars in our catalogue for inspiration.