CENTRO ASTRONÓMICO ROQUE SAUCILLO

The Roque Saucillo Astronomical Centre is an ambitious project that was created at the initiative of the municipality of La Vega de San Mateo. With the objective of promoting another aspect of cultural, tourist, scientific and leisure life on the island. The project was launched in 2001, but it took nearly a decade for it to really succeed. In 2011, thanks to private investments, the first permanent centre and urban astronomical observatory in the Canary Islands became a reality. This centre is voluntarily located in the city in order to provide everyone with its infrastructure. These are located on the top floor of the municipal music school. An observation platform offers a 360º view of the sky and spectacular views of the Gran Canaria hills. Other platforms are also available, with several telescopes for various workshops and programmed activities. The dome houses a fully computerized telescope, oriented towards didactic observations. Finally, an adjacent building makes it possible to offer specific exhibitions of astrophotographs, meteorites, etc. This centre does not have regular opening hours, but it often organizes observation evenings and visits are mandatory as part of an organized program of activities, the dates of which are published on the centre's Facebook page, with prior registration.