DEGREE MEASUREMENT EXPEDITION:
The measuring instruments
The measurements
The measurement sites
base line
Tornio
Kaakamavaara
Nivavaara
Huitaperi
Aavasaksa
Horilankero
Pullinki
Niemivaara
Kittisvaara

Aavasaksa

De Maupertuis and Camus were the first to set up the aiming device at the Aavasaksa fell. Aavasaksa became the central place for the measurements as accommodation was available at the Ylitornio parsonage. The wide area south of the river Tornionjoki flowing at the foot of the Aavasaksa fell offered good opportunities for measuring the base line on the river ice in the winter. The devices of the aiming line, however, were erected already in summer.

Thus the angular measurements from Aavasaksa to Luppio and Poiki-Torni could be carried out at the end of August.

Aavasaksa - 8th July 1736
Mount Avasaxa is situated in the best peopled and finest part of the river : its bed, above all, towards the south, for the space of four or five leagues, is extremely wide, and offered the most proper spot we could desire for an excellent base, whose extremities would be visible from Cuitaperi and Avasaxa. This base could not be measured at any other time than in winter over the ice ; but it suited to fix upon it, and erect signals at its extremities, to join it to the triangles, and to make the necessary observations before winter came on.
(Outhier, Journal of a voyage to the north 1736-1737, p. 284)

Aavasaksa