Article from Reporteros.NET
La Palma, known as “the Beautiful Island,” is the greenest of the Canary Islands, and this travel piece captures why. The writers describe enjoying its laurel forests, volcanic landscapes, the sea, the night sky and nature during their visit, encountering varied terrain and ecological richness throughout.
Stargazing with Ad Astra La Palma
A significant portion of the experience centred on a nighttime stargazing session with Ad Astra La Palma. The group travelled to Mirador del Llano del Jable observatory at approximately 1,400 metres elevation, from which visitors can take in extensive island geography including Cumbre Nueva, Roque de los Muchachos, the Caldera de Taburiente, the Angustias gorge, Pico Bejenado, and the towns of El Paso and Los Llanos de Aridane.
Elena Nordio from Ad Astra La Palma led the observation session, setting up telescopes to view celestial objects. The group observed the Moon, planets Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn — notably distinguishing the rings of Saturn and Jupiter’s satellites.
A protected sky
La Palma possesses one of Spain’s most spectacular night skies, protected by legislation safeguarding the nocturnal environment. The island features 14 astronomical viewpoints, making it a world-class destination for astronomy lovers.
