For this reason, La Palma promotes values associated with the quality and enjoyment of the sky, such as cultural (archaeoastronomical sites), scientific (astronomical research), astronomical (observatories and amateur observation), landscape or natural (astronomical viewpoints, etc), tourist activities such as our stargazing activities and other businesses ranging from restaurants, themed accommodation and the organisation of astronomical events.

Currently, La Palma has exclusion zones where the natural lighting conditions and clarity of the night sky remain intact, and it also has a participative action plan and a set of recommendations aimed at preserving or recovering the quality of the night sky as far as possible.

You can enjoy the sky of La Palma in one of our astronomical viewpoints or sites of astronomical interest: viewpoints or book one of our astronomy tours to enjoy the stars with a guide and telescopes.

More information about the Starlight Reserve at: Starlight Iniciative y Proyecto Starisland La Palma.

La entrada La Palma is a Starlight Reserve se publicó primero en AstroLaPalma.

The island of La Palma, “the beautiful island” of the Canary Islands is one of the best places in the world for stargazing. It is not necessary to be an expert if you wish to learn about constellations and to enjoy a starry night. In La Palma it can be very easy and entertaining and you could do it, for example, in one of our astronomy tours. Did you know about them?

But why is the sky of La Palma so beautiful and transparent? There are many factors that allow this: humidity, altitude, climate, low air pollution… La Palma is a pioneer protecting dark skies. From 1988 has a law that protects against light pollution (Low of the Sky). It is aimed to minimize light pollution and for this even flora helps! In fact, it was the world’s first Starlight Reserve, a UNESCO certification that certifies the ideal conditions for observing the sky for everyone, not just professionals, and it guarantees its protection.

In any case … why look for even more reasons to come to La Palma? The most important thing is that the sky and landscapes are beautiful that are worth seeing any thime! Nothing equals how you can feel almost touching the stars or walking along a volcanic sand beach on this island. In a single day you can be in a volcanic desert in the south and see the only active salt flats of the Canary Islands (Salinas de Fuencaliente), walk through a tropical rainforest in the north (Los Tilos or the Forest of La Galga), walking at the National Park (Taburiente National Park), go swimming or climb above the clouds to see stars …. Only a few places in the world offer so many contrasts and beautiful landscapes in such a small area.

La Palma is a mini-continent that never ceases to surprise.

La entrada Stargazing in La Palma se publicó primero en AstroLaPalma.

Light pollution is defined as the introduction of artificial light to an ecosystem (into naturally dark situations), degrading its natural state with the emission of light of different intensities, directions, spectral range and/or unnecessarily varying a light/dark schedule (ie. having lights on a empty office building or streets lights on after certain times).

It is obvious that humans need and use artificial light during the night just…well…simply to live. But the use of artificial light should be in equilibrium with the nocturnal life, energy efficiency and health (avoiding the alteration of sleep patterns and the effect of artificial light at night on some cancers). We should try to minimize the impact of light pollution reducing the negative effects by designing better street lighting, scheduling of street lights, etc.

Light pollution increases the background brightness of the sky by reflecting and diffusion artificial light into the gases and particles in the air. This results in a reduction of visibility of the stars and other celestial objects.

The Sky Law in the Canary Islands (1989) controls gas emissions to the atmosphere on the island, as well as light pollution and air communications routes. The aim of the law is to have transparent and dark sky, with good (if not outstanding) quality for both amateur and professional astronomy. As a result, La Palma is a Dark Reserve (a Starlight Reserve) and thanks to this it has developed a Sustainable Tourism Industry based on the sky. There are many options for astrotourism in La Palma, we recommend you to enjoy the sky in one of our astronomy tours.

La entrada What is light pollution? se publicó primero en AstroLaPalma.