203
There have been other attempts over the years, but none has succeeded, in
spite of the huge numbers of visitors to the Teide National Park, many of
whom would like to get to know the Observatory. Now, thanks to the area
having been certified as a ‘Starlight Reserve’, many private companies are providing night-time guided visits to see the stars from designated points in the
National Park. With the astronomical tourism boom, the demand is such that
many of these companies have degraded the quality of the visits and even the
peace of star-filled nights near the Teide. I hope that these nocturnal activities
in the Park will soon be regulated.
On the island of La Palma, we still have not managed to get a visitors’ centre next to Roque de los Muchachos Observatory. There have been occasions
when we were close to achieving it, such as when ICONA signed an agreement of cooperation with the IAC in June 1987, with the full approval of the
CCI, for the building, bringing into service, running, and management of an
interpreters’ centre at Roque de los Muchachos. There was even a national
competition, and a project was chosen. Funds were available to carry the project through, but the delays caused by endless bureaucratic red tape and territorial squabbling in La Palma ended with the moneys being withdrawn.
More recently, a private company expressed a willingness to build and
exploit what was to be a ‘cultural park’ through a temporary concession. The
Governing Council of the IAC gave its consent, and everything was prepared
for launching a call for tenders. But the company had to deal with La Palma
(Garafía Town Hall, the Island Cabildo, Taburiente Caldera National Park,
the ecologists, etc., etc., etc.). Same story. Another opportunity thrown away.
Changing the subject, in 1986 we employed a journalist, Carmen del
Puerto, who today heads the IAC’s Press and Outreach Unit. She gained experience in scientific journalism and science outreach, eventually doing her doctorate with me on the interesting topic of how and why such expressions as
the ‘Big Bang’ and the ‘God particle’, having become popular through media
coverage, and can be used as points of departure for science outreach. She
initiated, under Luis Martínez’s guidance, the IAC Noticias magazine, whose
mission was to report on the latest news in astrophysics and IAC activities. As
was stated in the zeroth issue, the IAC’s intention was to have ‘walls of glass’
so that its achievements would be visible and relayed to people directly. That
continues to be our mission today through the use of the latest communications systems, and Carmen continues to bring fresh ideas to the task of
outreach.
It has always been clear to us that, if we wanted to popularize science, we
needed to rely on the communications media and stimulate journalists to
cover science combined with technology. We have always tried to tempt them
20 Bringing Astronomy to the Public (1986–Present)
There have been other attempts over the years, but none has succeeded, in
spite of the huge numbers of visitors to the Teide National Park, many of
whom would like to get to know the Observatory. Now, thanks to the area
having been certified as a ‘Starlight Reserve’, many private companies are providing night-time guided visits to see the stars from designated points in the
National Park. With the astronomical tourism boom, the demand is such that
many of these companies have degraded the quality of the visits and even the
peace of star-filled nights near the Teide. I hope that these nocturnal activities
in the Park will soon be regulated.
On the island of La Palma, we still have not managed to get a visitors’ centre next to Roque de los Muchachos Observatory. There have been occasions
when we were close to achieving it, such as when ICONA signed an agreement of cooperation with the IAC in June 1987, with the full approval of the
CCI, for the building, bringing into service, running, and management of an
interpreters’ centre at Roque de los Muchachos. There was even a national
competition, and a project was chosen. Funds were available to carry the project through, but the delays caused by endless bureaucratic red tape and territorial squabbling in La Palma ended with the moneys being withdrawn.
More recently, a private company expressed a willingness to build and
exploit what was to be a ‘cultural park’ through a temporary concession. The
Governing Council of the IAC gave its consent, and everything was prepared
for launching a call for tenders. But the company had to deal with La Palma
(Garafía Town Hall, the Island Cabildo, Taburiente Caldera National Park,
the ecologists, etc., etc., etc.). Same story. Another opportunity thrown away.
Changing the subject, in 1986 we employed a journalist, Carmen del
Puerto, who today heads the IAC’s Press and Outreach Unit. She gained experience in scientific journalism and science outreach, eventually doing her doctorate with me on the interesting topic of how and why such expressions as
the ‘Big Bang’ and the ‘God particle’, having become popular through media
coverage, and can be used as points of departure for science outreach. She
initiated, under Luis Martínez’s guidance, the IAC Noticias magazine, whose
mission was to report on the latest news in astrophysics and IAC activities. As
was stated in the zeroth issue, the IAC’s intention was to have ‘walls of glass’
so that its achievements would be visible and relayed to people directly. That
continues to be our mission today through the use of the latest communications systems, and Carmen continues to bring fresh ideas to the task of
outreach.
It has always been clear to us that, if we wanted to popularize science, we
needed to rely on the communications media and stimulate journalists to
cover science combined with technology. We have always tried to tempt them
20 Bringing Astronomy to the Public (1986–Present)