Stella Caelum Utsjoki 7.10.2025

Esko Valtaoja

Esko Valtaoja is Professor Emeritus of Astronomy at the University of Turku and former Director of Tuorla Observatory. He is a distinguished scientist and a populariser of scientific knowledge. He has been named three times as the most important living Finnish scientist in the Science Barometer surveys. Valtaoja has been awarded the Tieto-Finlandia, the State Prize for Publication of Knowledge, the Lauri Jäntin, Väinö Voipio, Mensa and Socrates prizes, among others.

Valtaoja’s presentations inspire and open up new perspectives on the challenges of the future. He says : ”The world is amazing, diverse and largely inexplicable.”

Jari Mäkinen

Jari Mäkinen is a science journalist specialising in aerospace issues, known from Yleisradio’s science programmes, Tekniikan Maailma and his YouTube channel Tiedetuubi. He has written extensively on astronomy and space technology on fact-finding missions around the world and has also worked for the European Space Agency. Besides his space adventures, he’s also been bitten by the Lapland fly.

Esa Turunen

Esa Turunen is a space physicist, associate professor of aeronomy at the University of Oulu and director emeritus of the Sodankylä Geophysics Observatory. He received his PhD in theoretical physics from the University of Oulu in 1993 and was the director of the observatory from 2013 to 2019.

Turunen specialises in ionosphere-atmosphere interactions and the chemical effects of auroras. He has developed the internationally renowned Sodankylä Ion Chemistry Model (SIC) and has been the Finnish principal investigator in the EISCAT_3D project, which is building a new three-dimensional radar in northern Europe.

To a wide audience, Turunen is known as a populariser of science and promoter of higher education in the natural sciences. He has appeared in numerous national and international documentaries and TV productions on the Northern Lights. He says: ”The Northern Lights are not just a beautiful sight, but a window into the shared dynamics of Earth and space.”

Olli Reijonen

Olli Reijonen is a Master of Arts, Licentiate of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy who has combined ceramics, technology and musicology in his career. He has worked as a researcher and project manager in international ceramic printing and nanotechnology projects and has conducted ethnomusicological fieldwork in Brazil with funding from the Finnish Cultural Foundation.

Currently, Reijonen is the manager of the Syrjävaara Dark Night Conservation Area and CEO of Syrjävaara Good Night Oy. His work combines art, science and nature into a multifaceted whole that opens up new perspectives on the intersection of culture, technology and the environment.

Jyrki Manninen

Jyrki Manninen is a space physicist, associate professor at the University of Oulu and deputy director of the Sodankylä Geophysics Observatory. He has held several management positions at the observatory and has been a visiting professor at Nagoya University in Japan.

Manninen’s research focuses on ionospheric and plasma wave phenomena and auroral interactions. He has led major international research projects, including the EISCAT_3D Finland project, and EU-funded LAPBIAT projects. He is also an active reviewer and editorial board member of scientific publications.

He has extensive experience in international scientific cooperation and has held key positions of trust in the URSI scientific society, including chairing the Commission on Plasma Waves.

Emma Bruus

Emma Bruus is a graduate engineer and research coordinator at the Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, specialising in photography and citizen science.

Emma has more than ten years of experience in night sky recording and aurora photography. In recent years, she has become particularly interested in rare forms of aurora and the opportunities for enthusiasts to participate in their study. Emma co-founded and is responsible for the technical development of Ursa’s Skywatcher observation service.