By: William Hoffman
Submitted: 2012-01-25 10:39:55 | Word Count: 356
Many people make use of astronomical telescopes from their back gardens or from the comfort of their homes by pointing the devices out of open windows. However, there are some such enthusiasts who travel further afield in a bid to get the most from their viewing equipment.
One of the destinations that is popular among owners of these telescopes is La Palma. This is the most north-westerly of the Canary Islands and has a population of nearly 90,000.
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A reporter for the Independent travelled to the holiday destination with his family in a bid to check out views of the night sky. He noted that in 1988, the Spanish government enacted legislation to protect the skies, meaning no industry is allowed above 1,500 metres on the island. Meanwhile, street lights are orange rather than white and electro-magnetic interference is strictly controlled.
The writer remarked: "The reason for all this? A huddle of star-gazing scientists who lurk with their telescopes near the rim of the Caldera de Taburiente, the huge crater that dominates the island. They're trying to discover the secrets of the universe, you see. And for that they need dark. Lots of dark."
La Palma's Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos, which is set at 2,369 metres above sea level, is among the best facilities of its kind in the northern hemisphere and there are many astronomical telescopes in use there.
The site was chosen because it is far away from major cities and at 28 degrees north of the Equator, it allows astronomers to view all of the northern hemisphere stars and some of the southern hemisphere ones.
As the travel writer points out, Britain is among the countries to operate telescopes in the area. Measuring 4.2 metres in diameter, the William Herschel Telescope is the largest UK-operated telescope.
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