214
away by the United States to participate in their Gemini Project, which consisted of two twin telescopes to be set up in different hemispheres. The British
astronomical community was divided between proponents of the Canarian
telescope and those of the American project. I remember the renowned
Professor Martin Rees being among the former. Nevertheless, in 1990 the
UK’s Science and Engineering Research Council opted—a single vote swaying the decision—to join the Gemini Project in preference to the Canarian
telescope option. Britain’s affinity with the United States and the lesser risk
involved tipped the balance in favour of Gemini. After this failure, the Spanish
authorities informed us that the matter was closed, and from that moment on
the IAC directorate continued alone, both in Spain and abroad, with the idea
of a large telescope for the Canaries.
According to legal regulations, the Director of the IAC possesses a number
of powers, but the Governing Council is ‘the supreme decision-making organ
of the Institute’, so it was absolutely necessary to get its formal backing, especially for a matter of such magnitude as this large telescope project. As a collegiate body, its decisions had to be taken by persons that formed it at any
given moment, and in our case the constitution of the Council depended on
the vagaries of the political climate. For this reason, it was necessary to work
repeatedly on its ever-changing members, who also brought along with them
their distinct political and administrative persuasions. At that time the
Governing Council was chaired by the Minister for Education and Science,
and the President of the Canarian Government was Vice-chair. The Council
was completed by the Sub-secretary of the Presidency of the Government, the
Chancellor of the University of La Laguna, the President of CSIC, and the
Director of the IAC as voting members, and the Presidents of the Island
Cabildos of Tenerife and La Palma as non-voting members. It was extremely
difficult to arrive at a consensus, however hard I tried to persuade them that
the large telescope was a matter of national, rather than local or party, interest.
Round and round went the carousel, dependent on the election results of
the day.
Our morale was raised when we obtained an allocation from the European
FEDER funds (1994–1999), which enabled us to continue with the predesign of the telescope. We proceeded immediately with a feasibility study.
I obtained an audience with the President of the Canarian Government,
Manuel Hermoso, and with the Economy and Treasury Councillor, José
Miguel González, in the small palace then occupied by the Government
Presidency in the Plaza de los Patos in Santa Cruz. I have clear recollections of
the meeting. Both men were professional engineers, intelligent, with political
vision, and sympathetic to the IAC. We got on well with them. Once again, I
F. Sánchez
away by the United States to participate in their Gemini Project, which consisted of two twin telescopes to be set up in different hemispheres. The British
astronomical community was divided between proponents of the Canarian
telescope and those of the American project. I remember the renowned
Professor Martin Rees being among the former. Nevertheless, in 1990 the
UK’s Science and Engineering Research Council opted—a single vote swaying the decision—to join the Gemini Project in preference to the Canarian
telescope option. Britain’s affinity with the United States and the lesser risk
involved tipped the balance in favour of Gemini. After this failure, the Spanish
authorities informed us that the matter was closed, and from that moment on
the IAC directorate continued alone, both in Spain and abroad, with the idea
of a large telescope for the Canaries.
According to legal regulations, the Director of the IAC possesses a number
of powers, but the Governing Council is ‘the supreme decision-making organ
of the Institute’, so it was absolutely necessary to get its formal backing, especially for a matter of such magnitude as this large telescope project. As a collegiate body, its decisions had to be taken by persons that formed it at any
given moment, and in our case the constitution of the Council depended on
the vagaries of the political climate. For this reason, it was necessary to work
repeatedly on its ever-changing members, who also brought along with them
their distinct political and administrative persuasions. At that time the
Governing Council was chaired by the Minister for Education and Science,
and the President of the Canarian Government was Vice-chair. The Council
was completed by the Sub-secretary of the Presidency of the Government, the
Chancellor of the University of La Laguna, the President of CSIC, and the
Director of the IAC as voting members, and the Presidents of the Island
Cabildos of Tenerife and La Palma as non-voting members. It was extremely
difficult to arrive at a consensus, however hard I tried to persuade them that
the large telescope was a matter of national, rather than local or party, interest.
Round and round went the carousel, dependent on the election results of
the day.
Our morale was raised when we obtained an allocation from the European
FEDER funds (1994–1999), which enabled us to continue with the predesign of the telescope. We proceeded immediately with a feasibility study.
I obtained an audience with the President of the Canarian Government,
Manuel Hermoso, and with the Economy and Treasury Councillor, José
Miguel González, in the small palace then occupied by the Government
Presidency in the Plaza de los Patos in Santa Cruz. I have clear recollections of
the meeting. Both men were professional engineers, intelligent, with political
vision, and sympathetic to the IAC. We got on well with them. Once again, I
F. Sánchez