a panoramic vision of the world and skies : La Palma observatory

La Palma observatory

Growing light pollution and uncertain weather (if only they could have one forecast right) have always pushed professional astronomers to some remote locations. These days, and for the same reasons, serious amateurs have the ability to do the same, with the help of more affordable air travel.

Obviously, locations where professionals have already settled are among the favourites. One of the loveliest is certainly the La Palma island in the Canary archipelago. It has a fair climate, high altitude, light pollution reduction law, and easy and fast access from Europe.

The observatory is situated at altitude 2427m on top of the Roque de Los Muchachos volcano. It is usually (read sometimes not) above the cloud layer. It helps for astronomy, but also provides some very scenic vistas.

Some pictures taken during some of our stay at La Palma. The astronomical images taken during these sessions can be found in the astronomy section of the site.

See also : Other astronomy work
Link : Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias
Link : Nordic optical telescope
Link : Telescopio nazionale Galileo
Link : Isaac Newton Group of telescopes
Link : Gran telescopio Canarias
Link : Swedish solar tower
Link : Agrupacion astronomica Isla de la Palma
Link : AstroPalma : Tacande amateur observatory
Link : Rural houses : Asociacion de turismo rural isla bonita

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Telescopio Nazionale Galileo

Roque de los Muchachos, La Palma island, February 2002

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Telescopio Nazionale Galileo

Roque de los Muchachos, La Palma island, May 2004

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Telescopio Nazionale Galileo

Roque de los Muchachos, La Palma island, May 2004

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Telescopio Nazionale Galileo

Roque de los Muchachos, La Palma island, May 2004

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Galileo and Gran T-Can telescopes

Roque de los Muchachos, La Palma island, February 2002

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Nordic optical telescope

Roque de los Muchachos, La Palma island, February 2002

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The Nordic optical telescope sees better than others, because clouds don't come over... ;-)

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Do not trepass...

Roque de los Muchachos, La Palma island, May 2004

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Herschel telescope and friends

Roque de los Muchachos, La Palma island, February 2002

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From left to right : RoboDIMM, Herschel, Swedish solar telescope, Carlsberg meridian telescope, Dutch open telescope.

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Herschel telescope and Swedish solar tower

Roque de los Muchachos, La Palma island, May 2004

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Sunrise on Isaac Newton telescope

Roque de los Muchachos, La Palma island, January 2003

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Sunrise on Isaac Newton Group of telescopes

Roque de los Muchachos, La Palma island, January 1st 2003

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There are few locations atop the Roque de los Muchachos where all three ING telescopes are visible in one shot. On the left, the Herschel. In the center, the Jacobus Kapteyn. On the right the Isaac Newton.

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Star trails over the caldera

Roque de los Muchachos, La Palma island, January 2003

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The La Palma atmosphere quality is so excellent that it's no propblem to record long exposure star trails over the cities.

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Sunrise on Pico de Teide

Roque de los Muchachos, La Palma island, January 2003

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This picture is taken from la Palma island. The Teide is the peak lying left of the Sun. It is the highest peak of Spain. It is 3718m high on Tenerife Canary island.

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Caldera de taburiente

Roque de los Muchachos, La Palma island, January 2003

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The caldera is 8km wide, 2000m deep and home of a unique national park. In the distance on the horizon, from left to right : Tenerife, la Gomera and el Hierro islands.

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Pog and Seb on the playground

Roque de los Muchachos, La Palma island, 1st January 2003

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Many thanks to the Nordic optical telescope for their operating the webcam on new year's day. It allowed these two folks to say "Hello world, and happy new year".

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Ze fien that fears nothing

Casa El Colmenero, La Palma island, May 2004

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