UPDATE: There are two places where you’ll be able to observe the eclipse safely. Astrolapalma will hold a free event at Llano de las Brujas from 10:30-1:30 pm, and Astrotour will hold an event costing 2€ per person at the ecological banana plantation EcoFinca Platanologico from 11 am – 1 pm. Do NOT look directly at the sun. You might go blind. On November 3rd 2013 there will be…
A remarkable number of the archeological sites on La Palma line up with astronomical calendar events: particularly sunrise or sunset at the solstice or equinox, and the rising and setting of the star Canopus. Since Sunday was the equinox, I went with a group of friends to one of these sites to see the sun rise behind the highest point of the island, the Roque de Los Muchachos. It…
Come to San Antonio volcano visitor centre and see La Palma’s “Stonehenge” mark the autumn equinox on Sunday night at 7:30 pm. Stonehenge is a bit of an overstatement, of course, but the modern astronomical marker at the visitor centre works the same way as Stonehenge. As the sun sets at the equinox, the shadow of one stone reaches another. (Different stones make shadows which reach the marker stone at…
Partial Lunar eclipses are quite common. Photos like this aren’t. It was taken by Ana Garcia of AstroLaPalma.com, who offer observations (tours or private), telescope rental, the “Los Indianos” tour in Santa Cruz de La Palma and tailored astronomy travel packages.
Asteroid 2012 DA 14 from Daniel López on Vimeo. Daniel Lopez of the IAC filmed Asteroid 2012 DA 14 from 21:00 to 22:46 UT on 15/02/2013 from the Observatorio del Teide. Strong wind gusts of 55km / h make the image shake. Credit Daniel Lopez: Cielo de Canarias Asteroid 2012 DA 14 from Daniel López on Vimeo. Daniel López del IAC hico un seguimiento del asteroide 2012 DA 14 desde…
As you’ve probably heard, asteroid DA14 is going to pass very close to the Earth tonight. No, there is no chance that it will hit, which is good because it’s about 40 m in diameter. But at its closest it will be just 28,000 km away, closer than the highest satellites (although still well above the International Space Station and the Hubble Space Telescope. It’s going to part our hair….