11th May was sunny saturday and perfect day for Tampereen Ursa to visit Tuorla observatory near Turku. The trip was quite a success and most of us likely enjoyed it:

Entering Tuorla campus area:

Leaving bus and going in:

Our host told us stories about telescopes in desert:

Listening presentation telling us what ESO does:

Esko Valtaoja's book is found here of course:

Reminder note in door:

One dome for a dog and another for humans:

First dome we saw:

Going up to a hill:

Main observatory tower:

There is something BIG here:

CCD cameras:

More cameras:

Main mirror in close:

A view from the tower:

Second view from the tower:

Guide scope and camera ;-)

Information leaflet:

Computer screens in control room:

Computer systems in control room:

Goodbye Gigant:

Main tower:

Older equipment by Väisälä:

Twins on the hill:

Going under ground:

Here are those world-class mirrors made:

Tunnel going up:

Pictures provided by ESO:

Going inside planetarium:

Leaflets in planetarium: