Renovations at Metsähovi Radio Observatory start in September

This academic year will mark great changes for Metsähovi. During the following year, the observatory will see a total makeover in researcher and visitor facilities as well as in equipment. Renovations, beginning now in September, include demolishing the oldest office wing and building a completely new one. At the same time, during the winter, the steering system of the 14-m radio telescope will be fully upgraded. Later next spring, the landmark of the whole area, the 20-metre radome enclosing the 14-metre radio telescope will be replaced with a new one. Even during all this, we aim to keep the observations running and the radio telescopes collecting data "24/7”, with as few offline days as possible.

Some changes will be seen also in Otaniemi. Starting this September, when the main office wing is closed for renovation, everyone else except the personnel directly needed to run the observatory, moves to Otaniemi. Metsähovi researchers and students have already used our large office room at Maarintie 8 for those days they are working in Otaniemi. Now all Metsähovi-related postdocs, students, and visiting researchers will move to Maarintie 8 full-time, until the new Metsähovi office wing opens next autumn.

Also the weekly Metsähovi Science Meetings will be held in Otaniemi this academic year. We welcome everyone who is interested in Metsähovi's research to participate the meeting series consisting of seminars, journal club presentations, etc. Topics include radio astronomy, black holes, active galaxies, the Sun, astronomical technology, and so on -- detailed schedule will appear later at the website >>