IAC Open Days at Teide Observatory 22-23 June
The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) has announced two Open Days, this coming Friday and Saturday, 22 and 23 June. Between 10am and 5pm, visitors will be able to have a guided tour and be told about the work done by the Observatory, as well as to ask whatever questions they like, whether about the solar system, nearest stars, galaxies, nebulae, or the age or origins of the universe.
The Open Days will be held in the Observatory itself, at Izaña. Groups will be taken at intervals to see the telescopes. Parking is available in the precinct’s own carpark. IAC recommends that since it is a high mountain area, visitors bring comfortable shoes, eye shades or sunglasses, as well as a coat. Those with any cardio-vascular or respiratory problems are advised that the altitude might present them with a problem and they are advised to check first with their doctor. I went to one of these a couple of years ago, and I’d highly recommend it. IAC
I just saw this, shame I missed it, I’ll keep an eye out for next years’ open day. It says visitors can see the telescopes, but can they use them too? Is the tour available in English? What I would really like is to be able to use the telescope at night.
When we were there, we could use one telescope properly and several pretty close up, but even the rest we were actually inside! They do try to do the whole thing in English as well but really it’s mainly in Spanish. What was entertaining, though, was that when we went to see one telescope doing “foreign scientist” experiments, they were from Huddersfield! That was in English all right!!
I think, too, that their website, which is HERE (I’ve set it to English, I hope), allows people to register to use the telescopes at a distance … but I’ve not looked into it too far.