AP locations in Spain and Portugal

[carbon12]

Hello everyone
I wasn't sure which forum to place this post in so I hope this is appropriate. I image mobile with my campervan and mostly shoot in the alps, which doesn't give me many good nights in the winter months. I am interested in finding out more about particularly good / reliable locations for astrophotography in Spain and Portugal in the months from autumn through spring. Of course there are many areas with dark skies which I can look up easily but I'd like to find out more about areas with a decent track record of (v) good seeing and clear(er) night time skies in those months. I have a rig that can benefit from good seeing so I'd like to make the most of that and pick the brains of anyone with knowledge of these countries or good online resources. As I foresee it, I would aim to head for such an area around full moon and stay for a week or so. I love being out in the sticks and dont need much in the way of local infrastructure, I would stay in a campsite or maybe rent some accommodation. Tips for any area in Spain or Portugal are welcome as I could be in any region come the time the new moon approaches. 
Clear skies
Richard 

 

[Anne S]

We spent 6 weeks in the Alentejo part of Portugal in January and February. We had clear periods but also several days of rain and periods with high level cloud. I managed 9 images, 2 of which were 2 pane mosaics, around 8 hours data for most images and at least 12 hours for each mosaic. I also did several all night sessions unattended. We have a motorhome and stayed on a small campsite where there was electric hookup.

The weather was not as good as I expected, we had the jet stream over us some of the time. It was vastly better than the permacloud we have in Wales! Were going again next year but slightly later.

Anne

[fireballxl5]

1 hour ago, Anne S said:

We have a motorhome and stayed on a small campsite where there was electric hookup.

Do you have the details please? Hopefully I'll have this option soon🙂

[ollypenrice]

The professionals are at Calar Alto in Andalusia.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calar_Alto_Observatory  You can easily see Africa from there. Anywhere reasonably close to that should see you in a good place but local conditions vary on a small scale. The Alpujarras range, south of Granada, is lovely but I remember from cycle touring in the area that there is a very sudden transition from desert to green. The dry end is the North/East end, towards Alméria.  In no distance at all it greens up, literally in less than 1 km from memory. This may be a rain shadow effect. The fact that there is a film set for shooting cheapo westerns there tells you what you want to know!  For the seeing I guess altitude matters. It can be windy there, too.

You're in the high Alps. I'm in the French pre-alpine mountains west of the really big stuff and our winters are very good.

Olly

[Anne S]

1 hour ago, fireballxl5 said:

Do you have the details please? Hopefully I'll have this option soon🙂

We stayed at Camping Puro Alentejo, about 10 miles north of Elvas. There's also Camping Os Anjos which is near Campo Major, about 20 miles east of Puro Alentejo.

End of 2022 we stayed at Cantino da Paz which is a farmstay caravan park about 14 miles from Beja.

Anne

[Varavall]

5 hours ago, carbon12 said:

but I'd like to find out more about areas with a decent track record of (v) good seeing and clear(er) night time skies in those months

I live in Catalonia which does have dark sites, BUT in the winter the interior, especially the plain of Lleida, very frequently gets fog which can last for weeks. When the skies are clear the seeing is excellent. I would suggest heading further south and west to Andalucia/Extramadura, but pass through Catalonia in case the weather is good, and as you have a campervan you can always park up on a mountain for the night  😉

[carbon12]

5 hours ago, Anne S said:

We stayed at Camping Puro Alentejo, about 10 miles north of Elvas. There's also Camping Os Anjos which is near Campo Major, about 20 miles east of Puro Alentejo.

End of 2022 we stayed at Cantino da Paz which is a farmstay caravan park about 14 miles from Beja.

Anne

Thank you Ann. Camping Puro Alentejo in particular looks great, we did some birding trips in Alentejo several years ago , would make a nice combination. 

[Anne S]

The owners are very nice and helpful. They turned off an objectionable light which was reflecting off out motorhome. We and a friend had south-facing pitches so could image east to west.

[carbon12]

6 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

The professionals are at Calar Alto in Andalusia.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calar_Alto_Observatory  You can easily see Africa from there. Anywhere reasonably close to that should see you in a good place but local conditions vary on a small scale. The Alpujarras range, south of Granada, is lovely but I remember from cycle touring in the area that there is a very sudden transition from desert to green. The dry end is the North/East end, towards Alméria.  In no distance at all it greens up, literally in less than 1 km from memory. This may be a rain shadow effect. The fact that there is a film set for shooting cheapo westerns there tells you what you want to know!  For the seeing I guess altitude matters. It can be windy there, too.

You're in the high Alps. I'm in the French pre-alpine mountains west of the really big stuff and our winters are very good.

Olly

Thanks Olly, good idea. There seems to be one parking area on the ridge along from the observatories where it is allowed to stay overnight - with no lights.

We will be looping down around your way during this summer - our first trip through the French alps. With a couple of scopes in the back of course. When our winter nights are good they are awesome but I’m very envious of anyone with “very good winters”. 
Richard

[carbon12]

3 hours ago, Varavall said:

I live in Catalonia which does have dark sites, BUT in the winter the interior, especially the plain of Lleida, very frequently gets fog which can last for weeks. When the skies are clear the seeing is excellent. I would suggest heading further south and west to Andalucia/Extramadura, but pass through Catalonia in case the weather is good, and as you have a campervan you can always park up on a mountain for the night  😉

Thanks for the tip Varavall, I really didn’t know anything about conditions in Catalonia. Nothing beats an Astro night on a high pass 😀

Richard

[carbon12]

12 minutes ago, Anne S said:

The owners are very nice and helpful. They turned off an objectionable light which was reflecting off out motorhome. We and a friend had south-facing pitches so could image east to west.

And lots of interesting things in the area. I’m really liking the idea of going there.