SGO History

History

• A permanent research station was operated at Sodankylä in 1882-1884.
• Finnish Academy of Science and Letters established the observatory in 1913.
• Earth´s magnetic field is measured here since 1914.
• Seismic measurements started at SGO in 1956.
• The Ionospheric station started operations in August 1957.
• In 1971, the Technical Division began their work at SGO.
• The Astronomy Division was doing polar motion observations using a zenith telescope on routine base between 1973 and 1981.
• In 1975, the European Incoherent Scatter Scientific Association (EISCAT) was established, and work at SGO started in 1977.
• In 1978, the EISCAT receiver radar was built at SGO, and the measurements started in 1981.
• In August 1997 the Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory joined the University of Oulu.
• The observatory of the University of Oulu joined SGO in January 1998.