Hilkka Rantaseppä-Helenius (1925–1975) was a Finnish

astronomer An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. Astronomers observe astronomical objects, such as stars, planets, natural satellite, moons, comets and galaxy, galax ...

. Rantaseppä-Helenius began studying mathematics in hopes of becoming a teacher. Finnish astronomer

Yrjö Väisälä Yrjö Väisälä (; 6 September 1891 – 21 July 1971) was a Finnish astronomer and physicist. His main contributions were in the field of optics. He was also active in geodetics, astronomy and optical metrology. He had an affectionate ni ...

inspired her to become an astronomer instead. Helenius, as a daughter of a farmer, was among the lucky few astronomers that had the privilege of having an observatory at their own corral. Rantaseppä-Helenius worked on observing

minor planets According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), a minor planet is an astronomical object in direct orbit around the Sun that is exclusively classified as neither a planet nor a comet. Before 2006, the IAU officially used the term ''minor ...

. She worked as an assistant at

Tuorla Observatory Tuorla Observatory is the Department of Astronomy at the University of Turku, southwest Finland. It is the largest astronomical research institute in Finland. Together with the Space Research Laboratory at the Physics Department of the University o ...

from 1956 to 1962. In 1962 she became an observer when a vacancy became available. She remained an observer until 1975. She was also involved in building the Kevola Observatory by Tähtitieteellis-optillinen seura (Astronomy-Optical Society) on her own property in 1963. Rantaseppä-Helenius died at age 50 in an accident. The Florian asteroid 1530 Rantaseppä was named in her memory.

References

1925 births 1975 deaths Finnish astronomers Women astronomers Astronomy-optics society {{Europe-astronomer-stub