We take in every single person who applies to study with us. One measure of the excellence of the students who come here is that nearly everyone who has completed their Master's Degree goes on to do a Doctorate. A large number of our students have graduated from high school with top marks in six subjects. For Professor Kalevi Mattila, the fact that astronomy is not taught at school is not necessarily a bad thing. If children were forcibly made to memorize the planets' names, a lot of talented people might be estranged from the riddles of space.
Astronomy is a popular hobby in Finland.
The fact that there are nearly 9000 members in 38 amateur astronomical societies or clubs consolidates this. The largest entity is the Helsinki-based Ursa astronomical society. As far as hobbies go there is nothing comparable in, say, physics, the astronomers emphasize. The Observatory co-operates with Ursa on many levels. Ursa celebrates its 75th anniversary this year.