Hakann
January 4th, 2024, 06:11 PM
I was on the Canary island Tenerife over Christmas.
Normally I would go to La Palma in this time period but this year it was not
a new moon.
It's always harder to go direct to La Palma from Sweden than ex Tenerife or
Gran Canaria but for astronomy I has go to La Palma and has a more hazzle
trip.
Its decent fly time and not that expensive, plus It's great to see the sun
and its great nature, so I has done this for several years now ( not under
Cowid years )
Sweden in this time of year is really hard winters so it's great get away.
I has rent telescopes at La Palma.
It's not possible bring the 30" there...
People I heard of going to Tenerife on astronomy has brought their own
telescopes, so its small portable or go bigger but then one need a car.
I heard of both.
It's about the same height at both ilands little over 2.000 meters ( 6.000
foot )
Going up to Tiede at Tenerife from example northwest side ( Puerto de la
cruz ) it's a small curved road and its small village until one get higher.
It's a plateau at near 2.000 meter from volcano to north of iland say near
40 km and its plenty of good observing's places.
But Swedes been there on the caldera say it's no good seeing there, it's
better on south side at volcano so winds can pass heated up air.
One big problem is this island has city's all over coast and it's a massive
tourist place.
This cause huge light bubble and iland is not wide, maybe 20 km.
So no matter what nice weather it can be there even in December at night and
if no winds the sky must be hard get that good SQM readings.
Does it works, Yes, but..
I did not had my SQM gauge and moon was up 20 degree at around 8-9 o'clock
but I saw at zenith this island will has big problems on visual astronomy.
I has seen the light bubble over Tenerife from La Palma before.
It could been a killer 30 years ago maybe.
So the time on the road to go up and too much people there I cant se a point
get a telescope there.
But it was interesting to see it.
Vulcano is around 3600 meters, but no one can be there with a telescope
really.
Another issue at least that time I was there it was loaded with people (
cars and busses ) going on road so if one brought a telescope it would been
very bad.
I don't know if anyone rent out telescopes there, but on La Palma its 16"
and 20" and 25" to be rented.
The one I has used is at ca 700 meters and SQM can be 21.5-6 maybe but its
10 meters to the telescope from bed, and one can go to Roque or a place I
call the 'cistern', and it's around 2.000 at both those places.
Roque can be windy and it's hard find good observation places as road has
few places to be at.
But the deal going to Canarias is steady weather and not cold.
I has some 'windows' in spring and fall but in Sweden there is always some
kind of issues, so its great observe from Canarias.
I has stopped do winter in snow observations. I see no point.
Normally I would go to La Palma in this time period but this year it was not
a new moon.
It's always harder to go direct to La Palma from Sweden than ex Tenerife or
Gran Canaria but for astronomy I has go to La Palma and has a more hazzle
trip.
Its decent fly time and not that expensive, plus It's great to see the sun
and its great nature, so I has done this for several years now ( not under
Cowid years )
Sweden in this time of year is really hard winters so it's great get away.
I has rent telescopes at La Palma.
It's not possible bring the 30" there...
People I heard of going to Tenerife on astronomy has brought their own
telescopes, so its small portable or go bigger but then one need a car.
I heard of both.
It's about the same height at both ilands little over 2.000 meters ( 6.000
foot )
Going up to Tiede at Tenerife from example northwest side ( Puerto de la
cruz ) it's a small curved road and its small village until one get higher.
It's a plateau at near 2.000 meter from volcano to north of iland say near
40 km and its plenty of good observing's places.
But Swedes been there on the caldera say it's no good seeing there, it's
better on south side at volcano so winds can pass heated up air.
One big problem is this island has city's all over coast and it's a massive
tourist place.
This cause huge light bubble and iland is not wide, maybe 20 km.
So no matter what nice weather it can be there even in December at night and
if no winds the sky must be hard get that good SQM readings.
Does it works, Yes, but..
I did not had my SQM gauge and moon was up 20 degree at around 8-9 o'clock
but I saw at zenith this island will has big problems on visual astronomy.
I has seen the light bubble over Tenerife from La Palma before.
It could been a killer 30 years ago maybe.
So the time on the road to go up and too much people there I cant se a point
get a telescope there.
But it was interesting to see it.
Vulcano is around 3600 meters, but no one can be there with a telescope
really.
Another issue at least that time I was there it was loaded with people (
cars and busses ) going on road so if one brought a telescope it would been
very bad.
I don't know if anyone rent out telescopes there, but on La Palma its 16"
and 20" and 25" to be rented.
The one I has used is at ca 700 meters and SQM can be 21.5-6 maybe but its
10 meters to the telescope from bed, and one can go to Roque or a place I
call the 'cistern', and it's around 2.000 at both those places.
Roque can be windy and it's hard find good observation places as road has
few places to be at.
But the deal going to Canarias is steady weather and not cold.
I has some 'windows' in spring and fall but in Sweden there is always some
kind of issues, so its great observe from Canarias.
I has stopped do winter in snow observations. I see no point.