86
and the space surrounding the Roque that was available for telescopes was in
full view. This meeting was an important milestone.
Also in 1974, Britain’s Science Research Council approved the endowment
of the Northern Hemisphere Observatory with three telescopes, one of these
being the Isaac Newton Telescope. It also gave the Royal Observatory,
Edinburgh the task of completing the astronomical site testing of the summits
of La Palma. Their exhaustive and thorough examination provided abundant
comparative data for various sites and provided compelling evidence in helping them decide that Roque de los Muchachos was where they should set up
their telescopes.
The results of this, and all the other, site-testing campaigns carried out in
the Canary Islands are summarized in an article of mine published in Vistas in
Astronomy in 1985.
The added advantage of the lack of light pollution in La Palma resulted in
a consensus that Roque de los Muchachos was the preferred site for the
emplacement of nocturnal telescopes, given that Teide Observatory was contaminated, mainly from illumination in the Orotava Valley. Negotiations
therefore centred on a dual scenario: Teide Observatory for telescopes less
susceptible to light pollution, and the future Roque de los Muchachos
Observatory for all others. Serious logistical concerns remained: Teide
Observatory could be accessed by road, and had electrical power, telecommunications, etc., but a great deal of money would need to be spent to get the
Roque de los Muchachos area ready, including roads and other
infrastructure.
On 20 November 1975, while we were in the middle of these negotiations,
General Franco died. Some of our colleagues went Madrid to check for themselves whether Spain would descend into chaos. On the 22nd of that same
month Prince Juan Carlos was crowned King Juan Carlos I of Spain. In
December 1976, the Law of Political Reform, which brought the Franco
regime to a close, was passed by referendum. The first democratic elections
were held in June 1977 and the Union of the Democratic Centre, led by
Adolfo Suárez, won the election. In 1978 the new Spanish Constitution was
approved by referendum. Spain was now a democracy, and the skies above the
Canarian summits were excellent, as the Europeans had verified for themselves. In the face of these realities, the Europeans stopped worrying. All was
going well.
There were many meetings between 1975 and 1978, not only in the
Canaries but also in Madrid and London. These meetings involved the
President of CSIC, Primo Yúfera, who was present at all of them. The first
F. Sánchez
and the space surrounding the Roque that was available for telescopes was in
full view. This meeting was an important milestone.
Also in 1974, Britain’s Science Research Council approved the endowment
of the Northern Hemisphere Observatory with three telescopes, one of these
being the Isaac Newton Telescope. It also gave the Royal Observatory,
Edinburgh the task of completing the astronomical site testing of the summits
of La Palma. Their exhaustive and thorough examination provided abundant
comparative data for various sites and provided compelling evidence in helping them decide that Roque de los Muchachos was where they should set up
their telescopes.
The results of this, and all the other, site-testing campaigns carried out in
the Canary Islands are summarized in an article of mine published in Vistas in
Astronomy in 1985.
The added advantage of the lack of light pollution in La Palma resulted in
a consensus that Roque de los Muchachos was the preferred site for the
emplacement of nocturnal telescopes, given that Teide Observatory was contaminated, mainly from illumination in the Orotava Valley. Negotiations
therefore centred on a dual scenario: Teide Observatory for telescopes less
susceptible to light pollution, and the future Roque de los Muchachos
Observatory for all others. Serious logistical concerns remained: Teide
Observatory could be accessed by road, and had electrical power, telecommunications, etc., but a great deal of money would need to be spent to get the
Roque de los Muchachos area ready, including roads and other
infrastructure.
On 20 November 1975, while we were in the middle of these negotiations,
General Franco died. Some of our colleagues went Madrid to check for themselves whether Spain would descend into chaos. On the 22nd of that same
month Prince Juan Carlos was crowned King Juan Carlos I of Spain. In
December 1976, the Law of Political Reform, which brought the Franco
regime to a close, was passed by referendum. The first democratic elections
were held in June 1977 and the Union of the Democratic Centre, led by
Adolfo Suárez, won the election. In 1978 the new Spanish Constitution was
approved by referendum. Spain was now a democracy, and the skies above the
Canarian summits were excellent, as the Europeans had verified for themselves. In the face of these realities, the Europeans stopped worrying. All was
going well.
There were many meetings between 1975 and 1978, not only in the
Canaries but also in Madrid and London. These meetings involved the
President of CSIC, Primo Yúfera, who was present at all of them. The first
F. Sánchez