Metsahovi Radio Observatory, a research institute at Aalto University (formerly: Helsinki University of Technology, TKK), operates a 14 – m -diameter radio telescope at Metsahovi, the village of Kylmala in Kirkkonummi, about 35 km west from the Otaniemi university campus.
Metsahovi is active in the following fields: radio astronomical research, multifrequency astronomy and space research, development of instruments and methods for radio astronomy, and (radio) astronomical education. Geodetic VLBI observations are also done in Metsahovi in collaboration with the Finnish Geodetic Institute.
In 2010 twenty-four scientists, engineers, research assistants and support personnel worked at the institute. In 2010 the total expenditure of Metsahovi Radio Observatory was 1 177 941 euros including salaries and the rent of the office and laboratory space. This was funded by Aalto University, Academy of Finland, European Union, and other outside sources.
The past few years have been full of organisational changes in our university. In the introduction of the previous Annual Report I wrote: "These years of reformation have been full of increased administrative load. We are looking forward to the new university taking its form and becoming fully operational, when we will hopefully once again have time to concentrate on scientific research!" Unfortunately I was overly optimistic. Year 2011 was even worse than the ones before that, which is also the reason why our Annual Report 2010 was delayed so much (published in spring 2012).
The faculty of Electronics, Communications and Automation that was established in 2008 (and where Metsahovi was merged) ceased to exist in 2011, and now we are part of the Aalto University School of Electrical Engineering (ELEC)
