177 lines
5.3 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
177 lines
5.3 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
sponsored
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travel
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spanish_tourist_board
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canaryislands
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7145716
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-----
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# Reaching for the stars
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## Bright skies! There are in La Palma which has earnt the reputation as one
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of the best places on the planet to view the night sky.
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![Heavens above: great conditions for night-time observations][1]
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Heavens above: great conditions for night-time observations
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12:37PM GMT 03 Feb 2010
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Bright skies! That is how astronomers greet each other the world over. The
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phrase expresses the heart-felt wish that the elusive combination of a
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cloudless night and lack of light pollution may be yours to enjoy the sights
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of the dark sky.
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In most parts of the UK, it rarely turns out that way. The glow from our towns
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and cities spreads out into the countryside and our view of the stars and
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planets is nothing like as clear as it was in the days before the invention of
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the electric light.
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However, due to a combination of geographical location, altitude and some
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enlightened planning policies, La Palma is one of the best places on the
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planet to view the night sky.
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Not for nothing was it chosen as the location of the one of the most powerful
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telescopes in the world, the 10-metre Gran Telescopio Canarias, part of the
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Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos located on the highest point on the
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island.
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On this island, though, you don't need to gain a special pass to the
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observatory to witness amazing astronomical sights. Some of the island's
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enterprising amateur astronomers have set up a company that runs tours for
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like-minded visitors who want a taster of the heavens.
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## Related Articles
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* [Food: a taste for the traditional][2]
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26 Jan 2010
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* [Activities: the great outdoors][3]
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26 Jan 2010
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* [History: land of fire and fable][4]
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26 Jan 2010
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* [Csar Manrique: an artist by nature][5]
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26 Jan 2010
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* [Canary Islands: sun, sea and truly stunning skylines][6]
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26 Jan 2010
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Guests are shown how to use an array of portable telescopes and powerful
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binoculars which are more than capable of taking advantage of the island's
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typically dark and clear night skies. 'We can make the whole family feel like
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Galileo,' says Carmelo, who runs AstroTour Isla Bonita. 'When you can see the
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planets in detail with your own eyes, it makes you ask questions as to how big
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they really are, how the solar system was formed and how to peer beyond our
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own Milky Way to the galaxies beyond. 'We can also help you find and recognise
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different constellations, planets, nebulae and star clusters that you never
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even knew existed.'
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Carmelo also runs courses in astrophotography using visitors' own cameras,
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allowing them to take home incredible images of the night sky. Tours usually
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last for 90 minutes, with some lasting three hours. Day workshops can also be
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booked to learn about the lunar legends of the island's early inhabitants and
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to safely observe sunspots and the sun's infrared spectrum through special
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filters.
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[**www.astrotour.es**][7]** **
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[X][8] Share & bookmark
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Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! Buzz
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[What are these?][9]
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* Share: [Share][8] [ ][10] [ ][11]
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[Tweet][12]
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/canaryisland
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s/7145716/Reaching-for-the-stars.html
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Telegraph
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## [Canary Islands][13]
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* ### [Sponsored »][14]
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* ### [Travel »][15]
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* ### [Spanish Tourist Board »][16]
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[X][8] Share & bookmark
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Delicious Facebook Google Messenger Reddit Twitter
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Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! Buzz
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[What are these?][9]
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Share:
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* [ ][8]
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* [ ][10]
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* [ ][11]
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* [Tweet][12]
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* [![Canary Islands holidays][17]][13]
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[1]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01570/canaryIsland_astro_1
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570913c.jpg
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[2]: /sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/canaryislands/7079761/Canary-
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Islands-food-a-taste-for-the-traditional.html
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[3]: /sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/canaryislands/7079778/Canary-
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Islands-activities-the-great-outdoors.html
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[4]: /sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/canaryislands/7079735/Canary-
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Islands-history-land-of-fire-and-fable.html
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[5]: /sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/canaryislands/7079704/Cesar-
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Manrique-an-artist-by-nature.html
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[6]: /sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/canaryislands/7079816/Canary-
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Islands-sun-sea-and-truly-stunning-skylines.html
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[7]: http://www.astrotour.es
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[8]: #
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[9]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/4590190/Share-this-article-
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What-are-these.html
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[10]: mailto:?subject=A Telegraph reader thought you would be interested in
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this article&body=Depending on your email program, you may be able to click on
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the link in the email. Alternatively, you may have to open a web browser, such
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as Firefox or Internet Explorer, and copy the link over into the address bar.
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%0A%0Ahttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/canary
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islands/7145716/Reaching-for-the-stars.html %0A%0AFor the best content online,
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visit www.telegraph.co.uk
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[11]: javascript:print()
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[12]: http://twitter.com/share?via=Telegraph
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[13]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/can
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aryislands/
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[14]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/
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[15]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/
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[16]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/spanish_tourist_board/
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[17]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01569/sponsor_canaryisla_
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1569739a.jpg
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