The Auroral Observatory orginally was a section of the Norwegian Institute of Cosmical Physics (NIKF) established in 1928.
NIKF was merged with the University of Tromsø in 1972 and form the basis for the present Department of Physics and Technology at the University.

However, the designation 'Auroral Observatory' was kept for a small special group within the Department of Physics. This group was to continue the longterm geophysical observations of aurorae, magnetic field, and ionosphere inherited from NIKF. 

Effective 1. January 2000 this group was separated from the Department of Physics and established as a unit directly under the Faculty of Science and Mathematics given the name 'Tromsø Geophysical Observatory' (TGO)

The primary activities of TGO are geomagnetic and ionospheric observations, the former using a network of established magnetometers and the latter using an ionosonde near Tromsø. Secondary activities include hosting a number of own, shared and guest instruments and operating field stations on mainland Norway and on Svalbard.

The Norwegian Center for Space Weather (NOSWE) is a unit under Tromsø Geophysical Observatory (TGO) at UiT – the Arctic University of Norway.

The staff as of January 2024 is:

Telephone: +47 776 46956 
E-mail: magnar.g.johnsen@uit.no

 
Telephone: +47 776 23201 
E-mail: njal.gulbrandsen@uit.no

 
Telephone: +47 776 46789 
E-mail: erkka.p.heino@uit.no

 
Telephone: +47 776 20883 
E-mail: asgeir.brekke@uit.no

Telephone: +47 776 45781,
E-mail: hakon.j.seiness@uit.no

Construction of instruments, maintenance. 
Telephone: +47 776 45160 
E-mail: bjorn-ove.husoy@uit.no

Data processing, operation of guest instruments, maintenance 
Telephone: +47 776 45138 
E-mail: bjornar.hansen@uit.no

Telephone: +47 776 45137 
E-mail: per.i.emanuelsen@uit.no

Dombås Observatory,
Instrument calibrations, maintenance

 
Telephone: +47 776 20745 
E-mail: erlend.a.danielsen@uit.no