264
holds today, do not appear (in the interests of brevity and to avoid converting
this roll call into a cumbrous tombstone).
Special mention must be made of radio astronomy in Spain, also in the sixties, which got off to a fine and brilliant start, thanks to the physicist Jesús
Gómez, who trained as a radio astronomer in France and the United States.
As soon as this pioneer passed his oposición for a post as astronomer at the
Royal Observatory of Madrid he converted Yebes Observatory and its instrumentation into a competitive radio astronomy centre. He later reformed the
ROM by introducing astrophysics into that archaic institution, endowing it
with resources, and negotiating beneficial international agreements. He also
dignified its historical headquarters in the Retiro Park (Madrid) by turning it
into a science centre and museum. There is now a fine full-size reproduction
of the largest telescope of the early nineteenth century, built by Herschel (the
original never saw first light because it was burnt to the ground by Napoleon’s
troops).
To continue, many complicated battles had to be fought and won in order
to break down the old structures of Spanish astronomy. So much talent was
lost after the Civil War, Spain was ostracized and submerged in misery, and
universities and research centres foundered while clinging on to the old structures. To make the best use of the modern telescopes that were now (in the
seventies) on their way we needed new organizations better able to cope (see
Chap. 15).
Another ancient relic was the National Commission of Astronomy (CNA),
created by the government in 1920. It was the only official body that then
existed in Spain to direct and coordinate astronomical activities. It was clearly
necessary to renovate the Commission, given that it was governed by a decree
issued in March 1948. among whose many archaisms was the Committee’s
composition, with representation solely from the old observatories of the past
and the three chairs of classical astronomy. It took years to reform this. I used
my good relations with Madrid to get the stale decree modified, and in 1989
Royal Decree 587/1989 regulating a now updated CNA was approved. The
Commission was now established as a:
Collegiate body of the State Administration whose aim was to direct and coordinate national astronomical programmes, and to represent Spain in the
International Astronomical Union, carrying out its mission in accordance with
directives determined by the Inter-ministerial Commission of Science and
Technology . . . [and] in general undertake such activities as are related to the
promotion, orientation, and scientific teaching of astronomy in Spain.
F. Sánchez
holds today, do not appear (in the interests of brevity and to avoid converting
this roll call into a cumbrous tombstone).
Special mention must be made of radio astronomy in Spain, also in the sixties, which got off to a fine and brilliant start, thanks to the physicist Jesús
Gómez, who trained as a radio astronomer in France and the United States.
As soon as this pioneer passed his oposición for a post as astronomer at the
Royal Observatory of Madrid he converted Yebes Observatory and its instrumentation into a competitive radio astronomy centre. He later reformed the
ROM by introducing astrophysics into that archaic institution, endowing it
with resources, and negotiating beneficial international agreements. He also
dignified its historical headquarters in the Retiro Park (Madrid) by turning it
into a science centre and museum. There is now a fine full-size reproduction
of the largest telescope of the early nineteenth century, built by Herschel (the
original never saw first light because it was burnt to the ground by Napoleon’s
troops).
To continue, many complicated battles had to be fought and won in order
to break down the old structures of Spanish astronomy. So much talent was
lost after the Civil War, Spain was ostracized and submerged in misery, and
universities and research centres foundered while clinging on to the old structures. To make the best use of the modern telescopes that were now (in the
seventies) on their way we needed new organizations better able to cope (see
Chap. 15).
Another ancient relic was the National Commission of Astronomy (CNA),
created by the government in 1920. It was the only official body that then
existed in Spain to direct and coordinate astronomical activities. It was clearly
necessary to renovate the Commission, given that it was governed by a decree
issued in March 1948. among whose many archaisms was the Committee’s
composition, with representation solely from the old observatories of the past
and the three chairs of classical astronomy. It took years to reform this. I used
my good relations with Madrid to get the stale decree modified, and in 1989
Royal Decree 587/1989 regulating a now updated CNA was approved. The
Commission was now established as a:
Collegiate body of the State Administration whose aim was to direct and coordinate national astronomical programmes, and to represent Spain in the
International Astronomical Union, carrying out its mission in accordance with
directives determined by the Inter-ministerial Commission of Science and
Technology . . . [and] in general undertake such activities as are related to the
promotion, orientation, and scientific teaching of astronomy in Spain.
F. Sánchez