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Finland's only astronomical radio observatory, Metsähovi Radio Observatory, turned 50 this year. To celebrate the anniversary, we organised a three-part Tähtitiistai lecture series to bring astronomy close to everyone's everyday life. In the lecture series, former and current people of Metsähovi talked about the history of Finnish space research, quasars, solar research and the secrets of black holes, among other things. The lectures were held in the cinema of the new Marsio building. You can find the recordings of the lectures at the end of this news item.

Topics and speakers

Tähtitiistai: 50 years with the frequency of the Universe

• Antennas towards space – the first fifty years of Metsähovi Radio Observatory
  Joni Tammi, Director, Metsähovi Radio Observatory, Aalto University (in Finnish)
• How to make friends, success and influence in the world of science? Metsähovi 1980 – 2000
  Esko Valtaoja, Professor Emeritus, University of Turku (in Finnish)

Tähtitiistai: The Invisible Universe

• Half a century of quasars
  Merja Tornikoski, Senior Researcher, Metsähovi Radio Observatory, Aalto University (in Finnish)
• OUR STAR – What 50 years of observing the sun tell us about ourselves, our environment and our future
  Derek McKay, Research Engineer, Metsähovi Radio Observatory, Aalto University (in English)

Tähtitiistai: At the Edge of Black Holes

• Earth-sized telescope and restless black holes
  Tuomas Savolainen, Senior Researcher, Metsähovi Radio Observatory &; Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering, Aalto University (in Finnish)
• Cosmic particle accelerators
  Talvikki Hovatta, Academy Research Fellow, Finnish Centre for ESO (in Finnish)