Dark Sky: how to do astronomical observation in Gredos

Have you had the opportunity to see with your own eyes, through a telescope, a constellation of stars or the rings of Saturn?

I assure you that it is an experience that can be shocking, and I believe that there are few people who do not feel the attraction generated by the space that surrounds us on a clear night with the sky full of stars.

Now, to enjoy this experience you need a completely dark sky...which is not always easy to find.

But I will tell you that it is not necessary, for example, to travel to the Canary Islands to find a dark sky.

Perhaps you don't know, as was my case until recently, that just over an hour and a half from Madrid You have a totally dark sky where you can enjoy the experience of the so-called astronomical tourism.

It has been in my recent getaway to Gredos, mountain range located south of the province of Avila, where he discovered this possibility.

The scene in Sierra Norte de Gredos It is undoubtedly ideal: a mountainous landscape, very far from cities or large towns, which avoids light pollution.

This is verified in a very graphic way by looking at a photo of the European continent taken from space, which shows that almost the entire European sky is light contaminated, and there are only small, totally dark areas.

One of them is Gredos.

Starlight Dark Sky Certification in Gredos

With the aim of highlighting this characteristic and turning Gredos into a dastronomical tourism destination, in August 2013 the Sierra Norte de Gredos has received the Starlight certification.

This certificate ensures the availability of a dark sky in an area of ​​900 square kilometers that covers 30 municipalities.

To get this Dark Sky certificate that grants the Starlight Foundation, the requirements demanded after the measurements carried out regarding the quality and transparency of the sky had to be exceeded.

In addition to a certain transparency coefficient, the certificate requires visibility of the night sky of a minimum of 250 days a year, an average altitude of 1.300 meters and a very low degree of humidity.

La Sierra Norte de Gredos It is currently one of 25 places in the world that have that Dark Sky certificate, as also happens with the palm island o Sierra Morena.

How to do astronomical observation in Gredos

So do you dare to enjoy the experience of the astronomical observation or even of the astrophotography?

To facilitate this, various star viewpoints have been set up, and in the future there is a project to build a fixed observatory in the area.

Now you have the possibility to see stars from the small observatory installed on the roof of the Hotel El Milano Real, riding a Hawthorn Holes.

Paco, its owner, installed it 17 years ago for his personal use, and it has become a true tourist attraction.

In addition to being one of the promoters of the project that has led to the Dark Sky certification, Paco It facilitates astronomical observation for hotel guests and visitors to the area, in groups of no more than five people.

Therefore, you must call in advance to ensure this possibility in your getaway to Gredos.

But also, other companies that offer tourist activities for visitors to Gredos have carried out the necessary training to also offer the astronomical observation, either directly or with telescopes, as another alternative.

It is an activity developed in the field in which, if you are a novice, you will first receive some basic notions about space, and you will be able to do astronomical observation, see sunrise or sunset, or observe specific astronomical phenomena, such as meteorites or comets.

If you dare, you should contact Gredos Dark Sky by mail skyoscuro@asenorg.com.