Patrick Moore himself could not have done a better job of helping us identify the stars and planets and constellations than our guide Ruis at the Cerro Mamalluca observatory at Vicuna last night – and we got to see the craters on the Moon and the 2 stripes and moons on Jupiter through the telescope as well, amazing stuff.
And what a contrast from Santiago – to see such a wide open night sky without a cloud or any light pollution. After a day of travelling (three taxis, one flight and a 60km local bus journey) it was definitely the highlight of the trip so far!
The observatory with a 40cm telescope was developed and operated by the local council as a public facility and well organised. Judging by the numbers there last night -in three shifts – it must be a successful venture.
The north of Chile is home to some of the biggest telescopes in the world and the EU is currently building a 40 metre telescope in the mountains of the Atacama. Probably able to see the golf balls that the astronauts left on the moon.
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