Guided daytime visit to the Teide Observatory

Description Experience the scientific side of Tenerife with a Teide Observatory visit There’s so much more to Tenerife than the sun and the beach. Inland, almost half of the island lies within the Canary Islands’ Network of Protected Natural Spaces, and a good proportion also belongs to the Natura 2000 Network, which aims to ensure the long-term survival of Europe’s most threatened species and habitats. That may give you a clue as to the environmental importance and richness of Tenerife. The island holds several international awards from UNESCO to attest to its natural and cultural wealth.

The Teide National Park has been declared a World Heritage Site , as has the city of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, while the Macizo de Anaga is a World Biosphere Reserve. The island is volcanoes, sea, sky, forests, historic towns and cities, and more. Its natural treasures and its culture make it a first-class scientific laboratory. Discover it on your visit to the Teide Observatory! You must already know that the Canary Islands are one of the three best spots in the world to observe the sky, along with Chile and Hawaii, which is why the Tenerife Observatory is the largest solar observatory in the world .

The latitude on which the Canary archipelago lies, the altitude of the islands above the sea of cloud and a sky at this height which is always clear, due to the trade winds, explains why we are one of the three most important observatories in the world. The Teide Observatory came into operation in 1964, a century after the English astronomer Piazzi Smyth visited Tenerife on a scientific expedition in search of the best high-mountain skies for an astronomical observatory. Smyth can be considered a pioneer of modern astronomy, as well as the founder of the Teide Observatory, as he was the first to set up two observatories (one on Mount Teide and another on Mount Guajara) during the course of that 1856 expedition. The Teide Observatory dedicates its scientific work to solar observation and robotic astronomy.

It has a large number of solar and night telescopes belonging to various European countries. What you probably don’t know, yet, is that the researchers who work at the Tenerife Observatory make great contributions to the field of science, with an average of one publication per day. And did you know that the discovery of the Sun having its own frequency and beating like a heart every five minutes was made at the Tenerife Observatory? Book your ticket today, to visit the Teide Observatory with us, to discover this spectacular scientific centre during the day, and to get to know the Tenerife Observatory and the activities of the researchers who work there, in an enjoyable way. Our guides will make you feel like a scientist for a day as during this Tenerife Observatory visit: You will be introduced to the importance of the sky in the Canary Islands , the Teide Observatory telescopes and the different projects of the Canary Islands Institute of Astrophysics , the institution that manages this solar observatory.

You will participate in a workshop on astrophysics given at the visitors’ centre, in which our guides will explain what astrophysics is and how astrophysicists work. You will observe sunspots and solar flares through two solar telescopes, which you will have at your disposal to fully enjoy them. You will explore the inside of a nocturnal telescope and won’t leave until you know how it functions and learn about its exciting history. You can also visit the Tenerife Observatory with other activities which include a tour of the Teide Observatory .