News

On June 19 2018, Junior Research Fellow at the observatory’s Group of Remote Sensing of Atmosphere Liisi Jakobson defended her PhD thesis on the mutual effects of wind speed, air temperature and sea ice concentration in the Arctic and their teleconnections with climate variability in the eastern Baltic Sea region. Among other things, low-level jets and their generation mechanisms in the central Arctic Ocean were characterised for the very first time. The summary of Jakobson’s thesis can be read below. First ever central Arctic data

The European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC) which prize fund costs of 1 million euros is looking for new ideas. For the third time, the leaders of the Estonian idea competition Tallinn Science Park Tehnopol and Tartu Science Park have put out a prize of 5000 euros to help the winner develop their product and test the market.

In the summer, one can meet even more bright-eyed youngsters than usually in Tõravere because the observatory’s Summer Academy brings to the observatory pupils and students who can get to know the field of space they are most interested in.

On Friday, 20 March, at 14:00 there will be a video broadcast on the university website, where the rector and members of the Rector’s Office of the University of Tartu give an overview of the reorganisation of work at the university during the emergency situation, and answer questions sent by university members. In the broadcast, Rector Toomas Asser, Academic Secretary Tõnis Karki and Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Aune Valk will speak about the new organisation of work.

From Monday, 16 March, all UT buildings are closed for visitors and students. The buildings are not alarmed and staff members can enter using their university ID card. Visitors and students are not allowed in the buildings. If visitors need to get in, an employee must personally meet them. Receptionists and information secretaries in the buildings will continue work as usual, cloakrooms are closed.

February was Star Month at Tartu Observatory: the prices of our learning programmes were reduced and around 300 pupils came to visit. Reservtions can already be done for next year's Star Month.

TRY is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Tartu Obseratory’s Senior Research Fellow Jan Pisek is responsible for two publicly available TRY datasets, which include important information to help understand vegetation canopy processes.

Astronomer Laurits Leedjärv earned the Golden Prize 2019 from journal Akadeemia for his article "Üksildane maa" (Lonely Earth). The journal hands out prizes every year in four categories: universalia, socialia, humaniora, and naturalia. Leedjärv was awarded the naturalia prize.

The Horizon 2020 project EOMORES has issued a white paper promoting the potential of satellite observations in fulfilling the objectives of the European Water Framework Directive.

The European Space Agency (ESA) invites everyone to share their views about what we should research in space, because planning for the space programme of 2035–2050 has started.

The winners of Copernicus OceanHack are IceWise: the idea of creating an app to make moving on ice safe. The leader of the team was Junior Research Fellow of Tartu Observatory Kristi Uudeberg.

Registration is open for 12 courses by Tartu Observatory this spring semester. The registration closes February 9, 2020. Among others, there are courses that welcome students of all majors (Universe Now!, Environmental Remote Sensing I, Space Technology Project, Seminar on Space and Military Technology).

Tartu Observatory's Council elected Senior Research Fellow Antti Tamm to become the new director of the institute. Tamm has worked as a Senior Research Fellow at Tartu Observatory since 2015, before that as a Research Fellow (2005–2015). His main research topics are the birth and evolution of galaxies, dark matter, dark energy and cosmic dust.

On Tuesday, February 4, Margus Tammemägi's debut exhibition was opened at the main building of Tartu Observatory. The photo exhibition is called "The Light in Silence". Tammemägi is a musician and a teacher. He also worked in theatre for a long time. "My profession is also my hobby, so the border of work and hobby is pretty thin for me," Tammemägi said. Among other things, Tammemägi is an active hobby astronomer.

At the end of 2019, multiple researchers of Tartu Observatory were honoured with the University of Tartu Medal or a Badge of Honour. The medals were awarded to grand old men of remote sensing Tiit Nilson, Kalju Eerme and Uno Veismann, as well as astronomer and astrophysicist Jaan Pelt and astronomer Tõnu Viik. Astronomer Urmas Haud received the University of Tartu Badge of Honour.

Project POEMS which includes Tartu Observatory as a partner was kicked off. The core of the project is researching the physics of extreme massive stars. POEMS is a Horizon 2020 project. The ultimate goal of POEMS is to enlighten the processes that trigger mass loss in massive stars during extreme phases of their evolution. Cutting-edge numerical codes suitable to describe the chemical and dynamical evolution of the stars, their winds, and their large-scale environments will be developed.

In October, Anu Reinart and Tõnu Viik received an invitation from the Kazan Federal University to participate in an international forum, which was held for the preservation of the historical and cultural heritage and the development of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The forum was held in the Republic of Tatarstan in the beginning of December.

By the order of the Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology, Tartu Observatory's director elections were announced on January 6, 2020. The elections take place in accordance with clauses 16 and 17 of the observatory's statute.

Tartu Observatory of the University of Tartu offers environmental testing services along with consultations to ensure the conformity of electronic devices with established requirements. In the process of developing new devices, it is important to ensure that they are safe, reliable and compatible with other systems in use, while also meeting the requirements of relevant standards and directives. Testing is essential to achieve this. Practical experience and pre-tests

Senior Research Fellow of Tartu Observatory Enn Saar was awarded the University of Tartu Grand Medal. The medal was handed over on December 18 before this year's last astronomy seminar in Tõravere.