Stargazing at Mount Teide on Tenerife
Why the volcano offers some of the clearest night skies.
- Answers
- Can you see the Milky Way from Mount Teide without a telescope?
- Topics
- environment · holiday · nature · review · travel · volcano
- Full article on willem.com
- https://willem.com/en/2018-08-21_space-travelling-from-el-teide/
Summary
Yes. From the Teide National Park on Tenerife you can see the Milky Way with the naked eye. The altitude, stable ocean air and lack of light pollution make the night sky exceptionally clear.
Full text
The summit of El Teide stands 3718 meters above sea level, and measured from the ocean floor the volcano reaches 7500 meters. The air high above the clouds is stable, which is exactly why observatories sit on mountain tops, and the island's position in the middle of the Atlantic keeps light pollution low. The Teide Observatory has operated there since 1964 and grew into one of the first major international observatories. You do not need a telescope or special glasses. I have never seen so many stars: the Milky Way lights up the sky like a subtle cloud, and most stars and galaxies are visible before the moon rises. The national park itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, accessible by road, with a landscape so similar to Mars that space agencies test planetary rovers there.