Off to Tenerife - Any Tips ?

[jasonp]

Im off to Tenerife next week ( no moon present )  will be taking an SLR and my newly aquired 10x50's and a tripod. Will be hiring a car and plan to drive upto the base of Tiede to get some viewing / pics in.

I have been to Tenerife before and driven, but never with the intention of strgazing. Does anyone have any tips / recomendations ?

Many Thanks

Jason

[jasonp]

Also Im very rusty on what's in the sky there at the monent. Any suggestions on what to look out for ?

Cheers

[Peter Drew]

Not able to give much in the way of observing tips as what you might see depends on your location, set Stellarium to Tenerife and it will show you what's available in the night sky. Many of the roads up to Teide are currently snowbound due to recent freak weather, in any event it will be very cold up the mountain.

Also worth considering buying your Euros in Tenerife as you usually get a better exchange rate from the Cambios. You can check up on daily Tenerife news via <islandconnections.eu>

Have a good holiday. 

[jasonp]

Thanks for the weather info.  Have discovered the road I was intending to use is open. Have been watching the weather including the mountain forecast carefully, but didn't expect what Ive just read about the roads!   

Money exchanged already from HSBC, only got charged 10 quid more than the currency rate based on XE so I'm happy.

Is there any other sources of info / links to the road closures ?

Many Thanks

[laser_jock99]

If you fancy the climb a night at the AltaVista Refuge is good

http://www.webtenerife.co.uk/places-interest/teide-national-park/refugio+de+altavista.htm

The skies can be very clear at this altitude.

[starman1969]

When I last visited I stayed a the Paradors hotel up on the Teide plateau. At 7000ft altitude it's no wonder the sky looks amazing from there when clear, and it is normally very clear.

I found my favourite imaging spot close to this location too. If you drive out of the hotel and go straight over the road (this area is normally very busy during the day, but deathly quiet at night) onto the road which has a turning circle at the end. This is where the famous Roque Cinchado is, the one you see on all the postcards. If you take a short walk away from the road you can get away from any stray headlights from the road. The landscape here is really amazing and makes a great place to setup for imaging or viewing.

It takes approx an hour drive from Los Cristianos to this area. Pretty much any other resort on the island would probably be about the same time.

I've included a pic I took in this very area to give you an idea of what it can look like. This image was taken in mid December.

[todd8137]

A towel ,some paracetamol, lots,of beer money sunblock

Eeeeek have a good time

Pat

[AstroJOE]

My only advice is to avoid Playa de las Americas at all cost!!!!!!!

[laser_jock99]

When I last visited I stayed a the Paradors hotel up on the Teide plateau. At 7000ft altitude it's no wonder the sky looks amazing from there when clear, and it is normally very clear.

I found my favourite imaging spot close to this location too. If you drive out of the hotel and go straight over the road (this area is normally very busy during the day, but deathly quiet at night) onto the road which has a turning circle at the end. This is where the famous Roque Cinchado is, the one you see on all the postcards. If you take a short walk away from the road you can get away from any stray headlights from the road. The landscape here is really amazing and makes a great place to setup for imaging or viewing.

It takes approx an hour drive from Los Cristianos to this area. Pretty much any other resort on the island would probably be about the same time.

I've included a pic I took in this very area to give you an idea of what it can look like. This image was taken in mid December.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1393226423.346376.jpg

Good image there. Unfortunately when I last went we didn't go equipped for stargazing or AP- but you know the night skies are going to be fantastic when they look blue/black like this in the daytime!

[Dave]

You're going to love it!

Observing and imaging from the Parador Hotle or Las Roques de Garcia is flipping awesome.

Look out for the zodiacal light in the western sky after sunset.
If you can find the road that runs alongside the Lasagne Observatory that has got a clear view south, you can see three stars of the Southern Cross at this time of the year late at night.

It can be a bit cold up the mountain at this time of year. 
The road north of the Parador was closed due to snow last time I was there and out 5 years ago, but the skies are indeed fantastic.
So make sure you take plenty of warm clothing if observing up in the National Park or anywhere at altitude.

If you want to climb to very the top of Mt. Teide, (the cable car only goes so far), you will need to arrange for a free pass for a specified time.
All details are on this Web site: http://www.fell-walker.co.uk/page66.htm

Have fun.

Dave

[jasonp]

Thanks all for the suggestions and locations. I have enquired about road closures, and the southern road to the top is open so that's good for me.

Starman  - Roque Cinchado ill try that, I know where that is, but never actually been, so thanks.  I did fancy going up to the refuge, but my girlfriend wouldn't be able to cope with the walk / altitude. 

We have decided to do the cable car and have got a permit to go to the top.

Ill be taking warm clothes so prepared for that, seems like its about 6 degrees at night, so about what I'm used too.

Thanks all.

[Martin Meredith]

I believe the Parador has some scopes for the use of guests.

Quite apart from the Teide area, which is fascinating day or night, I recommend the north of the island (for touring, not necessarily for astronomy). Its a complete contrast to the southwest arid concrete jungle. Much greener and more like real Spain in terms of people, villages etc.

La Lagunas is worth a visit as is the area around Orotava (you can access Teide from both places on good roads) and the north-east tip of the island has some amazing coastal scenery. The roads can be a bit twisty and narrow up there though... 

Even when cloudy at sea level you can usually get above it on the way up to El Teide.

Have a great time. I'm a bit jealous... Oh, and next week is "carnaval", so pack some fancy dress 

Martin

[Martin Meredith]

I forgot to say -- if you can wait until around 1am Omega Centauri will be about 5 deg above the S horizon in Tenerife. And if you can hang on until 3 its about 14 deg above it.  I've only ever seen it in 10x50s thru the murk in Cadiz, but still very obviously large.

Also Centaurus A (NGC 5128) about 4 deg N of Omega Cent. One of the brightest galaxies.

Let us know how you get on!

Martin

[Nibor]

An interesting thread - I am thinking of a short break in the Canaries myself - some good suggestions!!

Have a good holiday Jason!!

[starman1969]

If you are a bit wary of wild dogs, best avoid the woods. There are quite a lot of them out there in the forests.

The Roques de Garcia area however, which I mentioned already, is perfectly safe. The only other beings you are likely to bump into in the dead of night are german ramblers (wearing white light headtorches).

[asset189]

Ive been up in the teide national park before and Lthough not much of a photographer all my photos (holiday snaps) were fantastic quality sharp images all because the atmosphere is thinner at such altitude.

[pete_l]

I'd echo what Peter Drew says: you're going up a mountain - at night - expect it to be cold up there and prepare accordingly (thermos, energy food, "space" blanket, woolly hat, thick socks).

As far as driving goes, you already know that the roads up there are narrow, twisty and treacherous - and that the on-coming tourist coaches take no prisoners. However being the first car up or down in the morning means you'll be the one who discovers the rockfalls that have happened over night (voice of experience, here). So while most of them will be smallish, there could easily be something more substantial sitting in the middle of the road, just round that hairpin bend.

Even at this time of year, some Factor 20 could be handy.

[Zakalwe]

I believe the Parador has some scopes for the use of guests.

Quite apart from the Teide area, which is fascinating day or night, I recommend the north of the island (for touring, not necessarily for astronomy). Its a complete contrast to the southwest arid concrete jungle. Much greener and more like real Spain in terms of people, villages etc.

La Lagunas is worth a visit as is the area around Orotava (you can access Teide from both places on good roads) and the north-east tip of the island has some amazing coastal scenery. The roads can be a bit twisty and narrow up there though... 

Even when cloudy at sea level you can usually get above it on the way up to El Teide.

Have a great time. I'm a bit jealous... Oh, and next week is "carnaval", so pack some fancy dress 

Martin

^^Great advice^^

if you are hiring a car, then the drive up the coast to Candelaria is really nice. A llate breakfast (or early lunch if you are a Hobbit!)  in the square breaks the journey. The cathedral there is worth a visit

and you can pay homage to the guanches:

Then you can either pick up the TF-523 which is twisty beyond belief, or continue up the coast to Santa Cruz. Either which way you want to head to the TF-24, which has got to be one of the most scenic roads on the island. The changes in vegetation and scenery is breath-taking.

When you start to descend there a little layby on some twisty bits where there are normally some locals selling snacks and drinks. The views across the valleys and towards Teide are stunning:

http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=5db8ccce-ec75-427a-94b8-e3e1f17ca502&m=false&i=0:0:0&c=0:0:0&z=1023.75090280029&d=-1.41739376837959:-1.05196849565429:-0.9529164150126&p=0:0&t=False

If you carry on the TF-24 you will pass the Teide Observatory

http://www.iac.es/eno.php?op1=3〈=en

Or go the other side to Orotava..the town is one of my favourite places on the island...very very picturesque and friendly.

[barkis]

All these lovely descriptions of what it's like in Tenerife are making me depressed.

All I can think of is the awful stormy wet and windy weather we have had to endure in the UK for what seems a lifetime now.

The only reasons I've had for going into my Observatory, were to make sure it has survived the onslaught.

Fortunately, all is well. I have the Roll Off roofs tied down with stout ropes, not relying solely on the tie bolts holding them down.

I hope others have survived too of course.

---------

Anyway, apologies to the OP for straying off topic, I'm enjoying reading the reports the other thread subscribers have posted,

they make very pleasant reading, but the memories of the last three months in the North West here, make a very stark

contrast to the serenity of Tenerife.

Ron.

[Paul M]

And I'm Sat in the reception of our hotel in las Americas waiting for our taxi to the airport.

Been a lot of cloud here at sea level . Never went on any star gazing trips but on the clearer night noted how high Orion rides in the sky. And having Jupiter at the zenith is quite weird too.

Oh well, the next night sky I'll see will be the cloudy , light polluted variety back home...

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