La Palma Fuerteventura Starlight Reserve Teide National Park Cumbres de Tenerife Starlight Reserve Gran Canaria Quimpi Starlight Camp Granadilla de Abona La Matanza de Acentejo Camino Barranca de Badajoz ARTEMIS Telescope CTAO North (Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory North) FACT Telescope FRAM Telescope Galileo National Telescope Gravitational Wave Optical Transient Observatory GREGOR Solar Telescope IAC80 Telescope Jacobus Kapteyn Telescope Large Size Telescope Liverpool Telescope MAGIC Telescopes MASCARA North MASTER-IAC Mercator Telescope MONS Telescope New Robotic Telescope OGS Telescope Open University Telescopes SLOOH Telescope SONG Telescope STELLA Telescopes SuperWASP-North Swedish Solar Telescope TAD Telescope TAR Telescopes Telescopio Carlos Sanchez THEMIS Solar Telescope Vacuum Tower Telescope Warwick 1.0m Telescope William Herschel Telescope Gran Telescopio Canarias Isaac Newton Telescope Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT) Roque de los Muchachos Observatory Teide Observatory
Dark sky place Research or private observatory Observatory open to the public

Observatories · Canary Islands

Observatories in the Canary Islands

The list has 36 observatories in the Canary Islands; 5 of them welcome the public for viewing nights, tours or a visitor center. Each has its own page with what a visit is like, the telescopes and how dark its sky is.

Canary Islands on the list

Observatories
36
Open to the public
5
Astronomy clubs
4
Dark sky places
52

Highest: Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, 2,396 m (7,860 ft)

5 observatories in the Canary Islands open to the public

ObservatoryWhereWhat you can doBortle
Gran Telescopio CanariasGarafia (Roque de los Muchachos)Guided daytime visits to the observatory including GTC on scheduled days via the ORM visitor center; booking required-
Isaac Newton TelescopeGarafia (Roque de los Muchachos)Included in some ORM guided visits; booking required-
Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT)Garafia (Roque de los Muchachos)Included in some ORM guided visits; booking required-
Roque de los Muchachos ObservatoryGarafiaORM visitor center and guided telescope visits by booking-
Teide ObservatoryLa Orotava (Izana)Guided daytime tours by booking through authorized operators-

Public nights usually start at dusk with a short talk and a turn at the eyepiece; many need tickets and cancel for clouds, so check each observatory's site on the day.

Research and private observatories in the Canary Islands

ObservatoryWhereTelescopesPart of
ARTEMIS TelescopeIzana1m roboticTeide Observatory
CTAO North (Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory North)Garafia, La Palma19 gamma-ray dishesRoque de los Muchachos Observatory complex
FACT TelescopeGarafia, La Palma9.5m gamma-ray dishRoque de los Muchachos Observatory complex
FRAM TelescopeGarafiaRobotic cosmic-rayRoque de los Muchachos Observatory complex
Galileo National TelescopeGarafia, La Palma3.58m Ritchey-ChretienRoque de los Muchachos Observatory complex
Gravitational Wave Optical Transient ObservatoryGarafia16 x 40cm roboticRoque de los Muchachos Observatory complex
GREGOR Solar TelescopeIzana1.5m solarTeide Observatory
IAC80 TelescopeIzana82cmTeide Observatory
Jacobus Kapteyn TelescopeGarafia (Roque de los Muchachos)1.0m robotic CassegrainRoque de los Muchachos Observatory complex
Large Size TelescopeGarafia23m gamma-ray dishRoque de los Muchachos Observatory complex
Liverpool TelescopeGarafia, La Palma2.0m robotic Ritchey-ChretienRoque de los Muchachos Observatory complex
MAGIC TelescopesGarafia, La Palma2 x 17m gamma-ray dishesRoque de los Muchachos Observatory complex
MASCARA NorthGarafia, La Palma5 x Canon cameras w/ATIK CCDRoque de los Muchachos Observatory complex
MASTER-IACIzana2 x 40cm roboticTeide Observatory
Mercator TelescopeGarafia, La Palma1.2mRoque de los Muchachos Observatory complex
MONS TelescopeIzana50cmTeide Observatory
New Robotic TelescopeGarafia4m roboticRoque de los Muchachos Observatory complex
OGS TelescopeIzana1mTeide Observatory
Open University TelescopesIzana43cm, 36cm roboticTeide Observatory
SLOOH TelescopeIzana40cm roboticTeide Observatory
SONG TelescopeIzana1mTeide Observatory
STELLA TelescopesIzana2 x 1.2m roboticTeide Observatory
SuperWASP-NorthGarafia8 x 0.1m roboticRoque de los Muchachos Observatory complex
Swedish Solar TelescopeGarafia, La Palma0.98m solarRoque de los Muchachos Observatory complex
TAD TelescopeIzana30cm roboticTeide Observatory
TAR TelescopesIzana2 x 46cm roboticTeide Observatory
Telescopio Carlos SanchezIzana1.52m DK infraredTeide Observatory
THEMIS Solar TelescopeIzana90cm solarTeide Observatory
Vacuum Tower TelescopeIzana60cm solarTeide Observatory
Warwick 1.0m TelescopeGarafia1mRoque de los Muchachos Observatory complex
William Herschel TelescopeGarafia, La Palma4.2m Ritchey-ChretienRoque de los Muchachos Observatory complex

These sites do not run regular public viewing, or their access is not confirmed. Some hold a yearly open house; each page links to the official site.

Astronomy clubs and dark sky places in the Canary Islands

Clubs bring telescopes to public star parties and welcome visitors at their meetings. See the 4 astronomy clubs in the Canary Islands.

Observatories in other countries