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On April 17, 1950 the caretakers of the Tuorla farm consented to the request
by Yrjö Väisälä to move the Observatory of the University from Iso-Heikkilä
to Laukkavuori in Tuorla. In 1951 Väisälä completed his detailed plans of the
observatory including meterological and optical instruments. The observatory
was officially founded on April 29, 1952. The 71 meter long optical tunnel
was built between February 11, 1952 and May 31, 1952. During 1953 a vertical
tunnel was built inside a concrete pilar, which was 27 meters from the bottom
of the tunnel or 15 meters from groundlevel, and 6 meters in diameter. It
took a further 7 years, before the concrete pilar was completed with a dome
on top of it. The older section of the present Observatory building was
completed in 1957. Research activities during the leadership of Väisälä
included setting up the geodetic triangulation network for measuring
distances, optical work, Zenith tube studies of polar motion, detections and
orbital calculations of minor planets and comets. Professor, Academician
Väisälä was the directory of the observatory until his death on 21 July, 1971.
Prof. Liisi Oterma became director of the Observatory after Väisälä. In 1971
a new 60cm reflector was erected. During the 1974 nationalization of the
Turku University, the Observatory lost its independent status and became part
of the Department of Physical Sciences.
Prof. Vilppu Piirola was the director of the Observatory in 1978-80. Piirola
broadened the research activities of the Observatory with polarized stellar
systems.
Prof. Mauri Valtonen became the director of the Observatory in 1980. The scope
of the research changed and Active Galaxies became a significant field at the
observatory. Stellar dynamics and optics stayed as vital field of
research.
In 1989 the Observatory buildings were enlarged, and in 1991 Tuorla became
once again an independent research institute under the direct jurisdiction
of the University. In 1990-1995 Valtonen was on leave from directorship of the
Observatory, during which time Professors Pekka Teerikorpi and Seppo Mikkola
took up the directorship. In 1995 the Tuorla staff member Vilppu Piirola was
appointed to the directorship of the
Nordic Optical Telescope.
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