Kevola Observatory

Kevola Observatory sits in the countryside of Paimio in south-western Finland, about 35 kilometres east of Turku, at an elevation of 50 metres.

About Kevola Observatory

The observatory is owned and operated by Turun Ursa ry, a local astronomical association based in the Turku area. Its grounds include an observatory dome, a separate zenith observatory, and a dedicated building for recording observations. Kevola holds Minor Planet Center observatory code 064, and the main-belt asteroid 1540 Kevola was named in its honour.

Telescopes & research

Kevola's main instrument is a 50 cm anastigmatic Schmidt–Väisälä camera, relocated here from the former Iso-Heikkilä Observatory, alongside 18 cm and 8 cm refractors used as guide telescopes. In its earlier life at Iso-Heikkilä, this same Schmidt camera was used to discover 807 minor planets and seven comets, a remarkable haul that underlines the instrument's historical importance to Finnish astronomy.

Location & getting there

Kevola lies in the Paimio countryside of south-western Finland, a short drive from Turku, in a rural setting suited to dark-sky observing.

Visiting Kevola Observatory

Turun Ursa ry runs the site for its members and the public; check the association's website for current opening times and events before visiting.

See your named star from here

An observatory with a proven history of precise astrometric work is a fitting place to imagine tracking down a named star. Name a star and look up its coordinates in our catalogue.