About Geyserland Observatory

Geyserland Observatory is a small Amateur Backyard Observatory. We have a Davis Vantage-Pro2 Wireless and Solar-Powered Electronic Weather Station, plus some extra electronic sensors and gadgets. This site and its data is collected using Weather Display Software, the data is collected every 60 seconds and the site is updated every 10 minutes. The station comprises of an anemometer, rain gauge and a thermo-hydro sensor situated in optimal positions for highest accuracy possible.
We are also involved in monitoring global warming with a sun photometer and/or solar radiometer. We ar using this instrument to record Water Vapor, Haze and Photosynthetic Active Radiation (PAR) in the atmosphere, but our main activity is still photo and astrometry of variable stars and minor planets. We are also dedicated to bring daily Astronomy News, local Starmaps and some Astronomy Freeware. For education purpose there is even a page with a crossword puzzle to solve.

About This City

Rotorua is a district located on the southern shore of Lake Rotorua in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. It has a population of 53,000 half of which are Māori.
The district is located 60 km south of Tauranga, 105 km south-east of Hamilton and 82 km north-east of Taupo.
Rotorua is well-known for the geothermal activity in the area. There are a number of geysers (notably the 20 m Pohutu geyser at Whakarewarewa) and hot mud pools located in the city, which owe their presence to the Rotorua caldera.

About History

The name Rotorua comes from the Māori language. The full name is Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe. Roto generally means lake and rua meaning two, "Kahumatamomoe" is the name of an Uncle to the man who named the area, Ihenga. Literally translated Rotorua means the second lake. As mentioned earlier it was named by the Māori chief Ihenga, as it was the second major lake that he discovered which he dedicated to his uncle Kahumatamomoe. The lake is the largest of a multitude found to the north and east of the city, all connected with the Rotorua Caldera and nearby Mount Tarawera.
The area was initially settled by Māori of the Te Arawa iwi. The lakeshore was a prominent site of skirmishes during the New Zealand Wars of the 1860s. A "special town district" was created in the 1880s, in order to promote Rotorua's potential as a spa. Rotorua was established as a borough in 1922.