51
Our economic problems and worrisome lack of means continued until the
seventies. In 1974 the Observatory became part of the newly formed University
Institute of Astrophysics of the University of La Laguna, but was not itemized
as such in the university budget. Unbelievably, everything, even the salaries of
personnel (when they were lucky enough to be paid), came under a section
the University reserved for ‘non-inventoried fungible material’. In other
words, we were categorized along with paper and other minor stationary
items, and—needless to say—we had no national insurance coverage or job
security. I remember at the beginning having to take out a private insurance
policy; on a high mountain site and with children, safety concerns and future
prospects were a cause for apprehension, however optimistic one tried to be.
As the recently created Astrophysics Institute began to become more active,
it started to accumulate debts. As its new Director and the first ever Spanish
professor of astrophysics, I complained repeatedly to the Chancellor and
Manager of the University, and begged them to include the young Institute in
the budget. I always received kindly replies, but the matter drifted on in
abeyance.
That was the situation when, in November 1974, the Chancellor (Professor
Fernández Caldas), having announced that the Minister for Education was
coming to visit the University, said that he planned to take him on an excursion to Las Cañadas del Teide. To round off the visit, he thought, it might be
an idea for the Minister make a detour to the Observatory. I decided to risk
everything by pointing out to the Minister the lamentable state of things. We
quickly assembled a report on ‘The present and future of astrophysics in the
Canary Islands’, together with an economic study, accompanied by a budget
for ordinary expenditure, including salaries. I even prepared notes for a brief
talk. I did not want to leave anything out.
It was a splendid day on the summit, in contrast to the wintry weather at
sea level, which was hidden from view by a sea of clouds. Everything got off
to a good start. As we went from dome to dome, enjoying the sunny and dramatic spectacle of Mount Teide, I took the opportunity to outline my basic
ideas, just in case there would not be time to do so later (as was indeed the
case). I informed the Minister with my usual passion that we had all the natural resources to become a major observing centre for the new European
astronomy. The cost to Spain would be low but the returns enormous. We
had, I explained, already begun discussions with our European colleagues to
formalize the setting up of modern telescopes on the Canarian summits, but
it was vital to exploit the opportunity intelligently and without delay. Money,
I emphasized, was necessary to achieve all this. I also told him that, to prepare
for this opportunity, we had already begun to train Spanish astrophysicists.
6 Astronomical Site Testing (1961–1974)
Our economic problems and worrisome lack of means continued until the
seventies. In 1974 the Observatory became part of the newly formed University
Institute of Astrophysics of the University of La Laguna, but was not itemized
as such in the university budget. Unbelievably, everything, even the salaries of
personnel (when they were lucky enough to be paid), came under a section
the University reserved for ‘non-inventoried fungible material’. In other
words, we were categorized along with paper and other minor stationary
items, and—needless to say—we had no national insurance coverage or job
security. I remember at the beginning having to take out a private insurance
policy; on a high mountain site and with children, safety concerns and future
prospects were a cause for apprehension, however optimistic one tried to be.
As the recently created Astrophysics Institute began to become more active,
it started to accumulate debts. As its new Director and the first ever Spanish
professor of astrophysics, I complained repeatedly to the Chancellor and
Manager of the University, and begged them to include the young Institute in
the budget. I always received kindly replies, but the matter drifted on in
abeyance.
That was the situation when, in November 1974, the Chancellor (Professor
Fernández Caldas), having announced that the Minister for Education was
coming to visit the University, said that he planned to take him on an excursion to Las Cañadas del Teide. To round off the visit, he thought, it might be
an idea for the Minister make a detour to the Observatory. I decided to risk
everything by pointing out to the Minister the lamentable state of things. We
quickly assembled a report on ‘The present and future of astrophysics in the
Canary Islands’, together with an economic study, accompanied by a budget
for ordinary expenditure, including salaries. I even prepared notes for a brief
talk. I did not want to leave anything out.
It was a splendid day on the summit, in contrast to the wintry weather at
sea level, which was hidden from view by a sea of clouds. Everything got off
to a good start. As we went from dome to dome, enjoying the sunny and dramatic spectacle of Mount Teide, I took the opportunity to outline my basic
ideas, just in case there would not be time to do so later (as was indeed the
case). I informed the Minister with my usual passion that we had all the natural resources to become a major observing centre for the new European
astronomy. The cost to Spain would be low but the returns enormous. We
had, I explained, already begun discussions with our European colleagues to
formalize the setting up of modern telescopes on the Canarian summits, but
it was vital to exploit the opportunity intelligently and without delay. Money,
I emphasized, was necessary to achieve all this. I also told him that, to prepare
for this opportunity, we had already begun to train Spanish astrophysicists.
6 Astronomical Site Testing (1961–1974)