Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, our Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory

One of the world's quietest radio astronomy sites

Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, our Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory is one of the best locations in the world to operate telescopes that listen for radio signals from space.

Our observatory in the heart of Wajarri Yamaji Country in remote Western Australia is home to our ASKAP radio telescope as well as other international radio astronomy projects. We currently host the Curtin University-led Murchison Widefield Array (MWA), Arizona State University's Experiment to Detect the Global Epoch of Reionization Signature (EDGES) instrument and the international SKA Observatory (SKAO)'s SKA-Low telescope is currently under construction onsite.

Radio telescopes at the observatory detect radio waves at similar frequencies to digital TV broadcasts and 4G mobile networks. This means that the telescopes must be located a long way from human settlements, so that terrestrial signals don’t interfere with the weaker signals coming from natural sources in space. This is why the site is one of the best places in the world for radio astronomy.

Indigenous Land Use Agreement

Aboriginal Australians are Australia’s first astronomers and share a long-standing knowledge of the sky. We are grateful to the Wajarri Yamaji, Traditional Owners and Native Title Holders of the site, for partnering with us in establishing the observatory on Country and for the support they have shown as we work together towards furthering astronomical knowledge from their ancient lands.

In 2022 a new Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) with the Wajarri Yamaji was signed by CSIRO together with the Australian and Western Australian governments. Negotiated over many years, the new ILUA allows construction of the SKAO's SKA-Low telescope on an expanded observatory, provides benefits for the Wajarri community and protects Wajarri cultural heritage alongside the construction and operation of the telescopes.

The first outcome from the new ILUA for the site is our new dual name, Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, the CSIRO Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory. Inyarrimanha ilgari bundara means 'sharing sky and stars' in the Wajarri language. It represents the deep connection to sky and Country held by the Wajarri Yamaji as well as sharing their sky and stars with the global astronomy community by hosting these world-leading radio telescopes on Country.

The Wajarri name for the observatory is just one example of Wajarri language used on site, including a Wajarri name for each ASKAP radio telescope antenna and names for infrastructure such as Nyingari Ngurra, zebra finch home, the SKA-Low construction camp. 

Radio quiet zone

The Australian and Western Australian Governments have established a ‘radio quiet’ zone to protect this unique radio astronomy site from noise created by modern life.

The zone is an area 520km in diameter, centred on the observatory, in which licenced communications and electronic devices such as television transmitters, mobile telephones base stations and CB radios are controlled to limit electromagnetic interference to the radio telescopes on site.

Observatory infrastructure

Key infrastructure that supports the radio telescopes on site to explore our Universe.

Power station

The remote location of our observatory on Wajarri Country ensures a radio quiet operating environment, but makes access to basic infrastructure like roads and power a challenge. In partnership with Australian companies Horizon Power and Energy Made Clean, we’ve constructed a dedicated power station for the site. This consists of a solar array, a lithium-ion battery, and four diesel generators. It is the world’s first hybrid-renewable facility to power a major remote astronomical observatory. A further power station will be required for the SKA-Low telescope, intended to be largely from renewable sources. 

Precursors control building

The large amounts of data produced by the current telescopes on site require significant customised computing power. Computers and other essential electronics are housed in a specially designed control building that prevents electromagnetic interference from escaping: it has two layers of solid metal shielding and airlock doors designed to meet exacting international radio emissions standards. The transport of signals from the telescopes to the control building is via optical fibres.

Similar buildings will be required across the observatory for the SKA-Low telescope – a large central processing facility near the core and many smaller facilities along the outer reaches of the telescope.