Links Through Space: Teide Observatory with Dr. Alfred Rosenberg González, Tenerife, Canary Islands

17 March 2013

Teide Observatory with Dr. Alfred Rosenberg González, Tenerife, Canary Islands

Teide Observatory, Tenerife, Canary Islands
Credit: Astronomy Club Toutatis
(Click the picture to enlarge)

Follow our Astronomy Club Toutatis through our visit to the Canarian astronomy in Tenerife, Canary Islands.

Astrophysics in the Canary Islands began at this observatory, which is situated 2400 metres above sea level in Izaña, an area near the National Park of Teide, Tenerife.

Its geographical location together with the clarity and excellent quality of the sky, mean that the Teide Observatory is ideally suited for studying the Sun. For this reason it is home to some of Europe’s finest solar telescopes, foremost among them are Themis and the German Gregor and VTT telescopes, as well as instruments for studying Solar Seismology.

In addition to these instruments for solar observation, the OT has a number of other telescopes, such as the “Carlos Sanchez” telescope, a very productive instrument that introduced many Spanish astronomers to the specialty of infrared astronomy. The latest generation of robotic telescopes is represented by STELLA, which consists of twin telescopes with complementary instrumentation. The European Space Agency’s optical ground station (OGS), which was built for laser communication with orbiting satellites, is also used for identifying and tracking space debris. The IAC - 80 telescope is used for observing objects with long-term variability and as a test-bed for new astrophysical instruments as well as for teaching astronomy to graduate students. There are also other highly specialized telescopes, like the Quijote, which is used to study background radiation from the “Big Bang” at the origin of the Universe.

Teide Observatory with crescent Moon
Credit: Astronomy Club Toutatis
(Click the picture to enlarge)

I had the chance to visit this incredible complex of telescopes and instruments with the help of public spokes person (public relations) Dr. Alfred Rosenberg González. Dr. Rosenberg González dedicated his astronomy career to Globular Clusters and publish quite a few papers on the subject (see Dr. Alfred Rosenberg González personnel pages (IAC). After his studies, he started as a support astronomer at the Teide Observatory before his Post-Doc and continued his career with the Institute of Astrophysics of Canary Islands as a Post-Doc student at the IAC. Later on he went to be the public spokes person (public relations) for the Institute of Astrophysics as well as for the Teide Observatory. As he showed me around the complex at the Observatory, I noticed how smooth he was at his job. He knew everyone in the complex, it was second nature for him to explain "hard" facts about the Observatory and astronomy in general. I raise my hat to his enthusiasm and knowledge of astronomy and the Teide Observatory. I had a wonderful time and I couldn't have a better "guide" for the job. Big Thanks to Dr. Alfred Rosenberg González and good luck with your future projects.