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Roque de los Muchachos Observatory

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Roque de los Muchachos Observatory

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  • Location: Garafía, Isla De La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain

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    November 9, 2017

    Cycling

    Arrived at the top of the Roque de los Muchachos, you will notice the many telescopes. Together with the telescopes on the Teide they form the European Northern Observatory. Since the island is sparsely populated and the summit is almost always above the clouds, it offers excellent conditions for observing the cosmos.
    Translated by

    May 22, 2023

    Cycling

    Built in 1985, these telescopes are among the largest in the world. It was chosen to build them here given the particular climate that occurs. In this area there are clouds between 1,000 and 2,000 meters high, and since the observatory is at 2,400 meters, these clouds act as a mirror for light pollution, thus allowing you to enjoy unique conditions for stargazing.

    Thanks to the new generation of Cherenknov Telescopes and other technological advances that are present in this observatory, the deepest galaxy in the universe that we have been able to observe has been found here.
    Translated by

    January 10, 2026

    Cycling

    At the edge of the caldera, at an altitude of approximately 2,400 meters, a number of telescopes are lined up at Roque de los Muchachos: optical and infrared night-vision telescopes, solar telescopes, and instruments for high-energy astrophysics. We took part in a guided tour and highly recommend it. It's essential to book online in advance from home; spontaneous bookings on-site are usually not possible.

    Links:

    * de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roque-de-los-Muchachos-Observatorium

    * de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_der_gr%C3%B6%C3%9Ften_optischen_Teleskope

    * iac.es/es/observatorios-de-canarias/observatorio-del-roque-de-los-muchachos/visitas
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    5.0

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    #1.

    El Roque de los Muchachos from Hoya Grande — return via the Parque Nacional de la Caldera de Taburiente — La Palma

    39.9km

    03:36

    1,430m

    1,440m

    Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

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    Hard
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    Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

    Hard
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    Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. You may need to push your bike for some segments of this route.

    Hard

    Details

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    Elevation 2,270 m

    Weather

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    Monday 15 June

    23°C

    19°C

    0 %

    Additional weather tips

    Max wind speed: 27.0 km/h

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    Location: Garafía, Isla De La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain

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