Teide Observatory

Teide Observatory (Spanish: Observatorio del Teide), IAU code 954, is an astronomical observatory on Mount Teide at 2,390 metres (7,840 ft), located on Tenerife, Spain. It has been operated by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias since its inauguration in 1964. It became one of the first major international observatories, attracting telescopes from different countries around the world because of the good astronomical seeing conditions. Later the emphasis for optical telescopes shifted more towards Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on La Palma.

Teide Observatory
OrganizationInstituto de Astrofísica de Canarias 
Observatory code 954 
LocationTenerife, Atlantic Ocean
Coordinates28°18′00″N 16°30′35″W
Altitude2,390 m (7,840 ft)
Established1964 
Websitewww.iac.es/eno.php?op1=3&lang=en
TelescopesIAC80
Laboratorio Solar
STELLA Telescopes
THEMIS solar telescope
COSMOSOMAS
ESA Optical Ground Station
GroundBIRD
QUIJOTE CMB Experiment
Telescopio Carlos Sánchez
Tenerife Experiment
Vacuum Tower Telescope
Very Small Array 
Location of Teide Observatory
Related media on Wikimedia Commons

Telescopes

Solar telescopes
THÉMIS
Testing laser systems on the ESO Wendelstein Laser Guide Star system.[1]

Nocturnal telescopes

Radio telescopes for cosmic microwave background astronomy

Other buildings on the site

The observatory has a visitors' centre and a residencia (hostel) for astronomers. Brian May helped construct a building there to study interplanetary dust.

List of discovered minor planets

The Minor Planet Center credits the discovery of several minor planets directly to the observatory.[5]

(79484) 1998 FH318 March 1998list
(100747) 1998 EO43 March 1998list
(175732) 1998 EW86 March 1998list
(219078) 1998 GX3 April 1998list
(301883) 1998 EQ99 March 1998list
(455329) 2002 PO6312 August 2002list

Climate

The position where the observatory is situated has a mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb), with average temperature features reminiscent of southern England. This renders in warm summers that averages around 23 °C (73 °F) with light frosts being possible and sometimes happening in winter. Extremes are moderated by its marine features, which combined with the altitude keeps temperatures below 30 °C (86 °F) even during heat waves, and in spite of the altitude the marine features are strong enough to prevent severe frosts. Sunshine levels, as typical of the nearby lowland arid climates, are high throughout the year. Many alpine areas at further distance from the equator are above the tree line at this elevation, but Teide is far above even any subarctic temperatures due to its position on the 28th parallel north.

Climate data for Izaña Observatory (1981-2010) (altitude: 2371 m)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 18.3
(64.9)		 19.9
(67.8)		 22.0
(71.6)		 23.0
(73.4)		 26.0
(78.8)		 27.7
(81.9)		 30.4
(86.7)		 29.6
(85.3)		 27.2
(81.0)		 23.0
(73.4)		 20.8
(69.4)		 20.1
(68.2)		 30.4
(86.7)
Average high °C (°F) 7.5
(45.5)		 8.0
(46.4)		 10.2
(50.4)		 11.8
(53.2)		 14.5
(58.1)		 18.9
(66.0)		 23.0
(73.4)		 22.6
(72.7)		 18.6
(65.5)		 14.3
(57.7)		 11.1
(52.0)		 8.8
(47.8)		 14.1
(57.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) 4.3
(39.7)		 4.7
(40.5)		 6.4
(43.5)		 7.6
(45.7)		 10.1
(50.2)		 14.4
(57.9)		 18.5
(65.3)		 18.2
(64.8)		 14.5
(58.1)		 10.6
(51.1)		 7.8
(46.0)		 5.6
(42.1)		 10.2
(50.4)
Average low °C (°F) 1.1
(34.0)		 1.3
(34.3)		 2.7
(36.9)		 3.5
(38.3)		 5.8
(42.4)		 9.9
(49.8)		 14.0
(57.2)		 13.8
(56.8)		 10.4
(50.7)		 6.9
(44.4)		 4.5
(40.1)		 2.4
(36.3)		 6.4
(43.5)
Record low °C (°F) −8.0
(17.6)		 −9.8
(14.4)		 −9.1
(15.6)		 −8.2
(17.2)		 −5.1
(22.8)		 −1.4
(29.5)		 −0.2
(31.6)		 1.2
(34.2)		 0.0
(32.0)		 −3.0
(26.6)		 −4.0
(24.8)		 −6.8
(19.8)		 −9.8
(14.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 47
(1.9)		 67
(2.6)		 58
(2.3)		 18
(0.7)		 7
(0.3)		 1
(0.0)		 0
(0)		 5
(0.2)		 13
(0.5)		 37
(1.5)		 54
(2.1)		 60
(2.4)		 367
(14.5)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 5 4 4 3 1 0 0 1 2 4 4 6 34
Average relative humidity (%) 50 54 48 45 40 32 25 30 43 55 54 52 44
Mean monthly sunshine hours 226 223 260 294 356 382 382 358 295 259 220 218 3,473
Source: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología[6]

Astroclimate and seeing

The useful observing time is given as 78% and the median FWHM seeing from DIMM measurements is given as 0.76" and 0.70" at two sites near the Carlos Sánchez Telescope.[7]

See also
ESO and Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias sign agreement on adaptive optics collaboration.[8]

References
  1. "First Light for Laser Guide Star Technology Collaboration". European Southern Observatory. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  2. THÉMIS Website
  3. GREGOR Website at KIS, Freiburg
  4. David Airey. "Construction of a small spectrograph for stellar spectroscopy and its use on some brighter stars". Journal of the British Astronomical Association. 103: 11–18. Bibcode:1993JBAA..103...11A.
  5. "Minor Planet Discoverers (by number)". Minor Planet Center. 4 September 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  6. "Standard Climate Values. Izaña".
  7. Vernin, J.; et al. (2002). "Site-testing Results at the Teide Observatory" (PDF). ASPC. 266: 454.
  8. "ESO and Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias Sign Agreement on Adaptive Optics Collaboration". ESO Announcement. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  • Rayrole, J. (1985). Muller, R. (ed.). "The European observatory at the Canary Islands". High Resolution in Solar Physics. Lecture Notes in Physics. 233: 32–50. doi:10.1007/BFb0022394.
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