The Metsähovi Radio Observatory is an astronomical observatory

Observatory

An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...

 affiliated with the Aalto University

Aalto University

Aalto University is a Finnish university established on January 1, 2010, by the merger of the Helsinki University of Technology, the Helsinki School of Economics, and the University of Art and Design Helsinki....

. Its main premises are in Metsähovi, Kylmälä, 35 km west of the campus of the Helsinki University of Technology

Helsinki University of Technology

Aalto University School of Science and Technology , was the temporary name for Helsinki University of Technology during the process of forming the Aalto University...

.

The observatory currently operates one 13.7 m diameter radio telescope, staffed by some 20 researchers, engineers, research assistants, undergraduate and postgraduate students, and supporting personnel. Operational since 1974, the observatory is active in the fields of;

• Fundamental research in radio astronomy
• Development of instruments needed in radio astronomy
• Development of methods for radio astronomical measurements
• Applied scientific computing
• Space research
• Education

The equipment at the observatory is focused primarily on extrasolar radio signals between 2 to 150 GHz

GHZ

GHZ or GHz may refer to:# Gigahertz .# Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger state — a quantum entanglement of three particles.# Galactic Habitable Zone — the region of a galaxy that is favorable to the formation of life....

. The primary subjects of the research are variable quasars

Quasar

A quasi-stellar radio source is a very energetic and distant active galactic nucleus. Quasars are extremely luminous and were first identified as being high redshift sources of electromagnetic energy, including radio waves and visible light, that were point-like, similar to stars, rather than...

, active galaxies, molecular line radiation

Spectral line

A spectral line is a dark or bright line in an otherwise uniform and continuous spectrum, resulting from a deficiency or excess of photons in a narrow frequency range, compared with the nearby frequencies.- Types of line spectra :...

, geodetic and astronomic very long baseline interferometry

Very Long Baseline Interferometry

Very Long Baseline Interferometry is a type of astronomical interferometry used in radio astronomy. It allows observations of an object that are made simultaneously by many telescopes to be combined, emulating a telescope with a size equal to the maximum separation between the telescopes.Data...

 as a member of the European VLBI Network

European VLBI Network

The European VLBI Network was formed in 1980 by a consortium of five of the major radio astronomy institutes in Europe . Since 1980, the EVN and the Consortium has grown to include 9 institutes with 12 radio telescopes in 8 western European countries as well as associated institutes with...

. Secondary subjects are solar observations

Sun

The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...

, solar system 22 GHz water maser

Maser

A maser is a device that produces coherent electromagnetic waves through amplification by stimulated emission. Historically, “maser” derives from the original, upper-case acronym MASER, which stands for "Microwave Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation"...

and spacecraft related analysis.