Tenerife in Canary Islands - March 2001- these shots, reduced in size and JPG Optimized to speed download, were taken with a handheld Sony TR840E Hi8 camcorder and captured as still frames via a Hauppauger Win TV Go model 607 PC card.
A brilliant planet Venus hung over the sea each dusk [first image] and Iridium satellites #19 and #51 were seen to flash within three minutes of each other near Sirius using prediction by heavens-above.com. Images also captured on consecutive evenings of the doomed Russian Mir spacecraft ten days before its demise into the south Pacific.
Parque las Aquilas - Los Christianos has been enlarged since our visit last November and now includes beautiful Siberian tigers.
Teide Park - Parque Nacional de las Canadas del Teide still proved a magnetic draw. The Park's only hotel - 4* Parador de Canadas del Teide - [panorama below from four camcorder frames] at 7250ft [2214m] welcomes amateur astronomers. We saw the 13" [33cm] Dobsonian and a small refractor that may be used by guests who appreciate clear pullution-free skies and favourable latitude at 28oN for viewing southern objects not visible from continental Europe. Approved astronomers, by prior arrangement, may use two addition telescopes - 24" [61cm] Dobsonian and a 10" [25cm] aperture Newtonian on a permanent equatorial mount for astro-imaging etc. Mains power adjacent for users with CCD cameras and laptops.
At over 2000m altitude and within the caldera, the invariably clear skies are shielded from light pollution from surrounding resorts at sea-level. Mt Teide received a coating of snow during our visit and strong winds over the 12,000 ft peak temporarily closed the cable car to the summit.
Dragon Tree & Church - Icod near Puerto de la Cruz - the principle resort on the northern coast of Tenerife.
Masca village de Teno, Caves at Adeje and Los Gigantes - on the western side of Tenerife - the shear lava cliffs rising above the sea at Los Gigantes are quoted the highest in Europe [Spain regards Tenerife as part of metropolitan Spain].
Teide Observatory Izano - within the Teide Park at long range and zoomed close-up.
