{"id":62761,"date":"2024-08-29T13:35:57","date_gmt":"2024-08-29T13:35:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/d2c2f9c5-fdf7-4bed-8c93-5ddb590107ae"},"modified":"2024-08-29T14:39:50","modified_gmt":"2024-08-29T14:39:50","slug":"6-of-the-best-places-for-stargazing-in-spain","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/rss_feed\/6-of-the-best-places-for-stargazing-in-spain\/","title":{"rendered":"6 of the best places for stargazing in Spain"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"rssexcerpt\">The best stargazing sites to make the most of Spain&#8217;s beautiful night sky. <\/p><p class=\"rssauthor\">By <\/p><p class=\"rssbyline\">Published: Thursday, 29 August 2024 at 13:35 PM<\/p><hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/><?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\" standalone=\"yes\"?>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><p class=\"p1\">When it comes to stargazing and astronomy, there are few more tempting locations in Europe than Spain, where astro tourism is taking off in a big way.<\/p><p class=\"p3\">Although part of Spain\u2019s attractiveness to astronomers is the better chance of clear skies than in northern Europe, there\u2019s another reason to do astronomy here that doesn\u2019t get talked about as much as it should, and that\u2019s latitude.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A great night for stargazing. The Milky Way over a bioluminescent sea at Estorde beach, Galicia, Spain. Photo by Brais Lorenzo\/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure><p class=\"p3\">Up near the border with France, locations like Albany\u00e0 and Parc Astron\u00f2mic Montsec are at around 41\u00b0N, while Malaga in the south lies below 37\u00b0N.<\/p><p class=\"p3\">That puts the equatorial constellations much higher in the sky than in northern Europe year round, notably Sagittarius in the summer.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full has-lightbox\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1037\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2020\/08\/Screenshot-2020-08-03-at-14.22.17-490488c-e1596461000629.png\" alt=\"Map of the best places for stargazing in Spain. Credit: BBC Sky at Night Magazine.\" class=\"wp-image-51430\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Click to expand<\/figcaption><\/figure><p class=\"p3\">Not only does Sagittarius contain the Galactic core, but it\u2019s also home to some fabulous deep-sky objects including the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/astrophotography\/nebulae\/lagoon-nebula\">Lagoon Nebula<\/a> (M8), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/astrophotography\/nebulae\/the-omega-nebula\">Omega Nebula<\/a> (M17) and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/astrophotography\/nebulae\/the-trifid-nebula\">Trifid Nebula<\/a> (M20), to name but a few. <\/p><p class=\"p3\">Most of the places featured here are in protected areas that boast natural darkness, some of them certified as Starlight Reserves, Starlight Tourism Destinations and Starlight Hotels by the <a href=\"http:\/\/fundacionstarlight.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Starlight Foundation<\/a>.<\/p><p>If you&#8217;ve mostly known Spain for its party islands like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/space-science\/where-is-ibiza-image-from-space\">Ibiza<\/a>, perhaps for your next holiday you should look into exploring the countries best dark-sky sites instead.<\/p><p class=\"p3\">With clearer views of some of the night sky\u2019s most beautiful objects, plenty of rural areas free from light pollution and an ever-increasing, well-organised network of Starlight Reserves and stargazing-friendly accommodation, Spain is worth an entry on every stargazer\u2019s bucket list.<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading p3\" id=\"h-sierra-sur-de-jaen-starlight-reserve-andalucia\"><strong>Sierra Sur de Ja\u00e9n Starlight Reserve, Andaluc\u00eda<\/strong><\/h2><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2020\/08\/AstroAndalus-2b9268a.jpg\" alt=\"Sierra Sur de Ja\u00e9n Starlight Reserve, Andaluc\u00eda\" class=\"wp-image-51420\" title=\"One of the scopes used on the night sky tours organised by AstroAndalus. Credit: Astro\u00c1ndalus\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">One of the scopes used on the night sky tours organised by AstroAndalus. Credit: Astro\u00c1ndalus<\/figcaption><\/figure><p class=\"p1\">If you\u2019re in Andaluc\u00eda to see the Alhambra in Granada or the Mezquita in Cordoba, consider driving for an hour to the fringes of the Sierra Sur de Ja\u00e9n Starlight Reserve.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">A sparsely-populated rural area, it boasts over 300 clear nights a year and is home to the Observatorio Andaluz de Astronom\u00eda at La Pedriza, which runs occasional night-sky observation events and workshops. <\/p><p class=\"p1\">For a more organised astro tourism experience, head to Casa Olea Starlight Hotel.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">This 6-room boutique B&amp;B on the fringes of Sierra Sur de Ja\u00e9n has night-sky-friendly lighting and holds regular stargazing weekends, the next one being a three-hour, New Year\u2019s Eve stargazing and tapas event, hosted by local astro tourism company <a href=\"http:\/\/www.astroandalus.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">AstroAndalus<\/a>.<\/p><p class=\"p1\"><em><b>More info: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.casaolea.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.casaolea.com<\/a><\/b><\/em><\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading p1\" id=\"h-e-eye-extremadura\"><strong>e-EyE, Extremadura<\/strong><\/h2><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"936\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2020\/08\/e-eye-08067dd.jpg\" alt=\"e-EyE, Extremadura\" class=\"wp-image-51421\" title=\"At e-EyE you can rent space in a state-of-the-art observatory shed. Credit: e-EyE\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">At e-EyE you can rent space in a state-of-the-art observatory shed. Credit: e-EyE<\/figcaption><\/figure><p class=\"p1\">About 140km north-west of Seville in Extremadura near the Portuguese border with Spain is e-EyE, a great place for stargazing.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">This is a comprehensive astro tourism complex ideal for amateur astronomers after clear-sky observations.e-EyE stands for Entre Encinas y Estrellas, which translates as \u2018between oaks and stars\u2019.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Certified a Starlight Reserve in 2016 and with a typical sky quality meter reading of 21.5 to 22, e-EyE has 250 clear nights a year, which visitors can enjoy by renting a section in a state-of-the-art observatory shed.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Each section has an independent roof, fibre optic internet access and Wi-Fi, and there\u2019s a team of technicians on hand. You can even leave your own telescope here and control it remotely from anywhere in the world.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Events are held around meteor showers and the complex also organises star parties.<\/p><p class=\"p1\"><em><b>More info: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.entreencinasyestrellas.es\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.entreencinasyestrellas.es<\/a><\/b><\/em><\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-griffon-educational-observatory-el-bosque-andalucia\"><strong>Griffon Educational Observatory, El Bosque, Andaluc\u00eda<\/strong><\/h2><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2020\/08\/Griffon-Educational-Observatory-a8ddf21.jpg\" alt=\"Dark Sky Wales offers stargazing package trips to Griffon Educational Observatory in Spain with its vast array of scopes. Credit: Jamie Carter\" class=\"wp-image-51422\" title=\"Dark Sky Wales offers package trips to Griffon Educational Observatory (GEO) with its vast array of scopes. Credit: Jamie Carter\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Credit: Jamie Carter<\/figcaption><\/figure><p class=\"p1\">The star attraction of Griffon Educational Observatory, El Bosque, Andaluc\u00eda is a domed 6-inch iStar refractor, though there\u2019s also the chance to use Dobsonians, Tele Vue refractors, astrographs and Sky-Watcher EQ6 and EQ8 mounts.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Try your hand at wide-field imaging in the surrounding Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, notably from the Puerto del Boyar mountain pass.<\/p><p class=\"p1\"><em><b>More info: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/p\/Griffon-Educational-Observatory-100064729057522\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Griffon Educational Observatory Facebook page<\/a><\/b><\/em><\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading p1\" id=\"h-albanya-catalonia\"><strong>Albany\u00e0, Catalonia<\/strong><\/h2><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1097\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2020\/08\/albanya-astronomical-observatory-989ba87.jpg\" alt=\"Star trails above the Albany\u00e0 Astronomical Observatory. Credit: Albany\u00e0 Astronomical Observatory.\" class=\"wp-image-51424\" title=\"Star trails above the Albany\u00e0 Astronomical Observatory. Credit: Albany\u00e0 Astronomical Observatory.\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Star trails above the Albany\u00e0 Astronomical Observatory. Credit: Albany\u00e0 Astronomical Observatory.<\/figcaption><\/figure><p class=\"p1\">Here\u2019s a great location for a summer astro camp. About 85km north of Girona in Catalonia (and not 30 minutes from the beaches of Costa Brava) in the north-east corner of Spain near the French border is the rural village of Albany\u00e0 with the Albany\u00e0 Astronomical Observatory nearby.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">It became the first International Dark Sky Park in Spain in 2017, making it officially a stargazing mecca, though a campsite adjacent to the observatory, Bassegoda Park (which also has bungalow accommodation), is itself a Starlight Reserve.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">The observatory welcomes visitors and holds regular stargazing sessions.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">However, its astronomers also collaborate on serious research into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/space-science\/asteroids\">asteroids<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/space-science\/exoplanets\">exoplanets<\/a>. The observatory is closed in January and most of February.<\/p><p class=\"p1\"><em><b>More info: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.observatorialbanya.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.observatorialbanya.com<\/a><\/b><\/em><\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading p1\" id=\"h-parc-astronomic-montsec-lleida-catalonia\"><strong>Parc Astron\u00f2mic Montsec, Lleida, Catalonia<\/strong><\/h2><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2020\/08\/Parc-Astrono%CC%80mic-Montsec-9db9722.jpg\" alt=\"The Centre d\u2019Observaci\u00f3 de l\u2019Univers is open to the public but the Observatori Astron\u00f2mic del Montsec, further up the mountains, is not Credit: Parc Astron\u00f2mic Montsec\" class=\"wp-image-51426\" title=\"The Centre d\u2019Observaci\u00f3 de l\u2019Univers is open to the public but the Observatori Astron\u00f2mic del Montsec, further up the mountains, is not Credit: Parc Astron\u00f2mic Montsec\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Centre d\u2019Observaci\u00f3 de l\u2019Univers is open to the public but the Observatori Astron\u00f2mic del Montsec, further up the mountains, is not Credit: Parc Astron\u00f2mic Montsec<\/figcaption><\/figure><p class=\"p1\">Much further inland than Albany\u00e0, but also in Catalonia, is this certified Starlight Reserve and Starlight Tourism Destination in the Montsec mountains.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Sheltered from coastal cloud and from the snows of the high Pyrenees, clear skies are common above Parc Astron\u00f2mic\u2019s two facilities.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">The Observatori Astron\u00f2mic del Montsec, on a mountaintop, is managed by the Catalan Space Institute and focused on research (so not open to the public), while the Centre d\u2019Observaci\u00f3 de l\u2019Univers (COU) is in the valley and hosts an exhibition and planetarium show, and also conducts guided tours of its Parc de Telescopis.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">There\u2019s no accommodation here: visitors are asked to stay in the villages of the surrounding Montsec mountain range.<\/p><p><em><strong>More info <a href=\"http:\/\/www.parcastronomic.cat\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.parcastronomic.cat<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-teleferico-benalmadena-malaga-andalucia\"><strong>Telef\u00e9rico Benalm\u00e1dena, M\u00e1laga, Andaluc\u00eda<\/strong><\/h2><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2020\/08\/Telefe%CC%81rico-Benalma%CC%81dena-2592342.jpg\" alt=\"Telef\u00e9rico Benalm\u00e1dena, M\u00e1laga, Andaluc\u00eda\" class=\"wp-image-51428\" title=\"The peak of Mount Calamorro, accessed by cable car, is a popular spot for setting up telescopes. Credit: Parques Reunidos Group\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The peak of Mount Calamorro, accessed by cable car, is a popular spot for setting up telescopes. Credit: Parques Reunidos Group<\/figcaption><\/figure><p class=\"p1\">Just as Albany\u00e0 is an easy astro excursion during a family holiday on the Costa Brava, Mount Calamorro is a must-visit destination for stargazing in Spain if you happen to be staying on the Costa del Sol, and the Telef\u00e9rico Benalm\u00e1dena cable car offers a fantastic way of getting there.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Amateur astronomers from the M\u00e1laga Society of Astronomy set up telescopes on the peak of Mount Calamorro, just south of Torremolinos, from 10pm every night each year during July and August.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">The view from on high overlooks the Mediterranean. Special events are also held, most notably for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/advice\/skills\/perseid-meteor-shower-how-to-see-it\">Perseid meteor shower<\/a>.<\/p><p class=\"p1\"><em><b>More info: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.telefericobenalmadena.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.telefericobenalmadena.com<\/a><\/b><\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"681\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2020\/08\/GettyImages-2147021321.jpg\" alt=\"Comet 12P\/Pons-Brooks, known as the Devil Comet, seen over Toledo, Spain. Credit: Marcos del Mazo\/LightRocket via Getty Images\" class=\"wp-image-161173\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Comet 12P\/Pons-Brooks, known as the Devil Comet, seen over Toledo, Spain. Credit: Marcos del Mazo\/LightRocket via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-stargazing-and-clear-skies-in-spain\"><strong>Stargazing and clear skies in Spain<\/strong><\/h2><p class=\"p1\">Although the southerly latitudes and clear skies of much of Spain make it an attractive location for amateur astronomers, don\u2019t assume that the entire country is ripe for stargazing \u2013 it definitely is not. From a weather perspective it\u2019s best to avoid northwest Spain.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">The regions of Galicia, Cantabria and the Basque Country in the north of the country are subject to an Atlantic weather system that is not kind to stargazers. <\/p><p class=\"p2\">In the northeast, the Pyrenees mountains that divide France and Spain act as a natural barrier against clouds and light pollution from cities.<\/p><p class=\"p2\">The rest of Spain has a Mediterranean climate and enjoys many nights of clear skies throughout the year.<\/p><p class=\"p2\">Summers and winters are dry, with most of the rain falling during autumn and spring.<\/p><p class=\"p1\"><em><strong>This article originally appeared in the December 2018 issue of <\/strong><\/em><strong>BBC Sky at Night Magazine<\/strong><em><strong>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The best stargazing sites to make the most of Spain&#8217;s beautiful night sky. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":62762,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"7"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2024\/08\/6-of-the-best-places-for-stargazing-in-spain.jpg",2560,1703,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2024\/08\/6-of-the-best-places-for-stargazing-in-spain-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2024\/08\/6-of-the-best-places-for-stargazing-in-spain-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2024\/08\/6-of-the-best-places-for-stargazing-in-spain-768x511.jpg",768,511,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2024\/08\/6-of-the-best-places-for-stargazing-in-spain-1024x681.jpg",800,532,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2024\/08\/6-of-the-best-places-for-stargazing-in-spain-1536x1022.jpg",1536,1022,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2024\/08\/6-of-the-best-places-for-stargazing-in-spain-2048x1362.jpg",2048,1362,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"The best stargazing sites to make the most of Spain's beautiful night sky.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/62761"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/62762"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62761"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=62761"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}