131
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
F. Sánchez, The Rise of Astrophysics in Modern Spain, Astronomers’ Universe,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66426-8_14
14
The Sky Law (1978–2017)
At the behest of the Canarian Parliament, in 1988 the Spanish Parliament
passed the Law for the Protection of the Astronomical Quality of the
Observatories of the IAC, more commonly known as the ‘Sky Law’. The law
came into effect by royal decree in 1992 with the approval of regulations governing its application. These regulations, which we had been years campaigning for, converted the Observatories into an ‘astronomical reserve’ that was
unique in the world, and legally protected against contamination from light,
radioelectric emissions, and airborne contaminants. Aircraft were also forbidden from flying above the Observatories. The regulations were a key feature in
maintaining the Observatories as a magnet for the most advanced astronomical instruments.
Before the passing of this law we had followed a hazardous path. Even
before the signing of the multinational Treaty of Cooperation in Astrophysics,
we saw the need to protect the skies above the sites where so many advanced
telescopes were headed. The summit of the island of La Palma had been
selected for the largest telescopes precisely because of the absence of light pollution, unlike the now heavily light-polluted Tenerife. However, with economic prosperity came an increase in electrical power consumption on La
Palma, and public exterior illumination was beginning to get out of hand.
In 1978 we tried to solve the problem via ‘municipal ordinances’ through
the good offices of the Island Cabildo. The Cabildo’s President at the time,
Mr. Carrillo Kábanas, saw with clear judgement and intelligence the benefits
that would accrue to the island once the Observatory was built at Roque de
los Muchachos.
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
F. Sánchez, The Rise of Astrophysics in Modern Spain, Astronomers’ Universe,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66426-8_14
14
The Sky Law (1978–2017)
At the behest of the Canarian Parliament, in 1988 the Spanish Parliament
passed the Law for the Protection of the Astronomical Quality of the
Observatories of the IAC, more commonly known as the ‘Sky Law’. The law
came into effect by royal decree in 1992 with the approval of regulations governing its application. These regulations, which we had been years campaigning for, converted the Observatories into an ‘astronomical reserve’ that was
unique in the world, and legally protected against contamination from light,
radioelectric emissions, and airborne contaminants. Aircraft were also forbidden from flying above the Observatories. The regulations were a key feature in
maintaining the Observatories as a magnet for the most advanced astronomical instruments.
Before the passing of this law we had followed a hazardous path. Even
before the signing of the multinational Treaty of Cooperation in Astrophysics,
we saw the need to protect the skies above the sites where so many advanced
telescopes were headed. The summit of the island of La Palma had been
selected for the largest telescopes precisely because of the absence of light pollution, unlike the now heavily light-polluted Tenerife. However, with economic prosperity came an increase in electrical power consumption on La
Palma, and public exterior illumination was beginning to get out of hand.
In 1978 we tried to solve the problem via ‘municipal ordinances’ through
the good offices of the Island Cabildo. The Cabildo’s President at the time,
Mr. Carrillo Kábanas, saw with clear judgement and intelligence the benefits
that would accrue to the island once the Observatory was built at Roque de
los Muchachos.