The Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos

The Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos occupies an area of nearly 2 square kilometres approximately 2400 metres above sea-level on the highest peak of the Caldera de Taburiente.

The location of this observatory was chosen after an intensive search for a site with all-year round clear, dark skies. All tests proved that the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos is one of the best astronomical sites in the world. The remoteness of the island and its lack of urban development ensure that the night sky at the observatory is free from artificial light pollution. The continued quality of the night sky is ensured by the 'Ley de Proteccion del Cielo'.

The observatory on La Palma, and its sister observatory at Mount Teide on Tenerife, are the responsibility of the host institution, the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias. The Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos was established under a series of international agreements in 1979, and inaugurated in 1985. An inauguration ceremony took place in 1996, for the more recent additions to the facilities. (Pictures: 1985 inauguration, 1985 inauguration, 1996 inauguration, 1996 inauguration, the flags of the cosmos

The telescopes at the observatory include the following:

• The Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes;
   
  • The 4.2-m William Herschel Telescope;
    Pictures: WHT dome, building cutaway, telescope, telescope schematic, mirror cell, mirror, cass instrument cluster, control room.
     
  • The 2.5-m Isaac Newton Telescope;
    Pictures: INT dome, telescope
     
  • The 1.0-m Jacobus Kapteyn Telescope;
    Pictures: JKT dome, telescope
     
• The 3.6-m Italian Galileo National Telescope;
  Pictures TNG dome, telescope
   
• The 2.5-m Nordic Optical Telescope;
  Pictures: NOT dome
   
• The Carlsberg Automatic Meridian Circle;
  Pictures: CAMC telescope
   
• The HEGRA gamma-ray facility;
  Pictures: HEGRA
   
• The Swedish solar tower;
  Pictures: Solar tower
   
• The Dutch open telescope;
  Pictures: Dutch open telescope
   

A range of common services are provided on site in support of the telescopes, operated by the IAC. In particular, a residencia provides study bedrooms for staff and visitors staying on site, a restaurant, rest room, games room and computer room.