Click on the image to read an extract of the book “A Breathtaking Window on the Universe: A guide to the observatory at the Roque de Los Muchachos” on sale December. The recommended retail price is €15, but books bought through the publisher’s website will cost just 12€ + P&P.
Today I sent my book off to the printers. It should be on sale in 3-4 weeks.
The bright star Canopus is too far south to see from the UK, but it can be seen from La Palma from late August to April. These are exactly the months when it might rain on La Palma. The British aren’t usually fond of rain, but the Canary Islands could do with more rain not less, and four months with no rain at all must have been a serious problem…
Michael Kunze has a great time lapse of La Palma’s night sky. You can see it at: http://www.sky-in-motion.de/en/zeitraffer_einzel.php?NR=14 His website is well worth a look.
The residencia has a new coffee machine, which makes rather nice coffee. You buy a token from reception, put it in and press the button for your choice of coffee. Then you see the coffee pouring down the drain, swear, and grab a cup fast enough to catch the second half of the coffee. That’s right – no plastic cups. It’s better for the planet, and anyway I prefer drinking…