In the village nearest us, La Pedriza, a new observatory has been built - opening just a few weeks ago in March. This month, they are running their first astrological course and Mateo is attending. 20 hours of theory and 10 hours of practice.
Today he has been able to look at the sun and has seen sun spots and flares. He is impressed with the knowledge of the instructors - which is good, he's a stern critic - and has already notched up 10 hours of theory since last night. This evening, he will go back again to do some practical star-gazing and the weather looks nice and clear.
Ruy and I went to meet him this lunchtime and it gave us an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful countryside around us and be so glad we live where we live.
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| Looking across the little valley. Our house on the left and if you follow the low white wall, you can just see our ruins in the middle of the photo. |
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| The new observatory lecture hall |
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| and the cupola housing the telescope. |
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| The building is surrounded by fields carpeted with wild flowers - the buzzing of happy insects was everywhere! |
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| So pretty |
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| Splashes of colour |
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The orange flowers which my camera didn't do justice to - the orange colour was really intense.
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Good luck to the observatory in coming years. We get some wonderful skies to observe with the naked eye - I'm looking forward to hearing what Mateo sees through the telescope this evening....but maybe I'll wait til morning. He goes at 10pm and stays until he's 'had enough'. I wonder if they realise just how long that might take?
Good on you, Mateo.
ReplyDeleteI'm always thrilled whenyoung people choose a science activity to do in their spare time.
This world continues to need excellent scientists.
The other participants are very impressed with his knowledge, Gaynor. He was a bit slow to get out of bed this morning though...not too keen on the 9am Saturday morning start, but he's now getting ready to go back again. I do hope he enjoys it and continues to learn - he has always been so very interested in science things.
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What a wonderful opportunity for him. One of my cousins takes amazing photos of the night sky...I'll share some of them with you through fb Annie. Has Mateo got a telescope ? We are very tempted to get something to look at the sky above Caunes, but dont really know anything about them. I am looking forward to hearing about Mateo's experience, it sounds amazing. I am very jealous. The spring flowers look beautiful too. Jx
ReplyDeleteI've seen some of your cousin's amazing photos, Janice - but do let me see more. We don't have a telescope but borrowed one last year. It looked like an impressive one but we found we could see almost as well with binoculars and it was easier to move those around.
DeleteI'm looking forward to hearing about it too.
The flowers were a bonus - but your YSP photos are also very beautiful - Spring is so lovely!
Axxx
Has Mateo got the Prof Brian Cox dvds? Even I am fascinated by his explanations of the universe. I think most of his talks are available on You Tube now. ( Lovely photos by the way)
ReplyDeleteYes, he does, a friend bought them for Christmas for him. He's interested in lots of things - most of which are rather esoteric - astrology is probably the most accessible for mere mortals. He's busy recreating lost and ancient races. I must post some of his drawings...
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How wonderful for Mateo, I've always been fascinated with astrology, a fabulous chance for him to explore the night sky............the wild flowers are so pretty and abundant near you.
ReplyDeleteKim xx
It's just after 11 and he's there now - the sky is incredible, so it must be really something to look through an enormous telescope and get a bit closer to what is out there.
DeleteThe flowers were just beautiful today - it's great to be discovering the seasons in the countryside.
Axxx
Lucky chap to be able to follow his passion without having to travel miles.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous spring flowers....did the fruit trees recover after the snow?
My thought exactly, Helen. La Pedriza is a tiny little village and not where you might expect to find an observatory, but if people come from Granada, then it's an excellent thing.
ReplyDeleteFruit trees seem fine but our vine is dying...:-( FR desperately trying to find out what's wrong and how to deal with it.
Axxx
Check the roots.
DeleteSo lovely to see the flower meadows - I think I spy some anise or aniseed in the last flower photo - it brings back lovely memories of Spain.
ReplyDeleteI shall have to look the anise up, Nilly, as I'm not sure what it looks like. Everywhere is so very pretty just now and there are fields of poppies out too - stunning - must get a photo. We have fennel fronds growing in the garden, which also have a mild anise smell and are charming to look at. Axxx
DeleteIt seems an unusual place for an observatory...miles from anywhere (or does it..I'm not sure?) In any case how fortunate that it is so close to home so that Mateo can follow his passion. Lucky boy.
ReplyDeleteYour photos as always are lovely Annie.
Hi Ayak, I guess the observatory needs to be away from town lights but in fact, it's only about 8 kms from Alcala - and 35kms from Granada. He had a wonderful evening - was there til 2am and saw some incredible things, including a clear vision of Jupiter and Saturn as well as thing much, much further away.
DeleteThank you - I think I'd like to learn to take proper photos - what I snap is never as good as what I see.
Axxx
How fantastic to have an astronomical observatory so very close to you, Annie. I'm sure you're right in saying it's there because of the absence of city lights. Such a marvellous opportunity for a teenager with scientific interests. :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat I'm really envious of, though, are your wild-flower meadows. It makes me sad to think that most meadows in the UK would have looked like that when I was a child, but it's all been lost because of reseeding with modern grass varieties. Sigh....
You're quite right, Perpetua - he's very lucky and he so enjoyed his late night star-gazing experience. I hope he can go back there often - it's within a cycle ride for him, so he'll get plenty of encouragement from us!
DeleteThe flowers were SO beautiful. I had forgotten too what meadows used to look like. Right now, we have a field full of poppies just on the edge of the village - I really must remember my camera as it is overwhelmingly lovely. I shall keep snapping, just for you.
Axxx