Sun protection on La Palma
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Isla de La Palma
(according to Ley del Cielo) |
||
 Roque de los Muchachos observatory at sunset |
||
| location | La Palma , Canary Islands , Spain | |
| Area / extent | 708.32 km² / 45.2 km | |
| Geographical location | 28 ° 40 ′ N , 17 ° 52 ′ W | |
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| Sea level | from 0 m to 2426 m | |
| Setup date | 1988 | |
| Framework plan | Gobierno de Canarias | |
| administration | Oficina Técnica para la Protección de la Calidad del Cielo (OTPC) | |
| particularities | covers the entire island, was set up to protect the Roque de los Muchachos observatory (European Northern Observatory ), is also a UNESCO biosphere reserve | |
|
La Palma Reserva Starlight
(according to UNESCO) |
|
| location | around the Roque-de-los-Muchachos-Observatory , La Palma |
| Geographical location | 28 ° 46 ′ N , 17 ° 53 ′ W. |
| Setup date | 2012 |
| Framework plan | UNESCO , Fundación Starlight |
| particularities | includes the entire island, parts of the surrounding Atlantic and parts of the island of Tenerife , maximum extension up to 160 km around the observatory |
|
La Palma Starlight Reserve
(according to IUCN) |
|
| location | around the Roque-de-los-Muchachos-Observatory , La Palma |
| surface | 186.27 km² |
| Geographical location | 28 ° 46 ′ N , 17 ° 53 ′ W. |
| Setup date | 2012 |
| Framework plan | IUCN , Fundación Starlight |
| particularities | IUCN-DSAG class 1 , equal in area to the protected areas of the Caldera de Taburiente National Park , the Pinar de Garafía Nature Reserve , the Las Nieves Nature Park and the Cumbre Vieja Nature Park |
On the Canary Island of La Palma , light protection (protection against light pollution ) - compared to other regions - has a particularly long tradition. In 1988, the world's first relevant law was passed to protect La Palma from light pollution. In 2012 La Palma was certified as the world's first UNESCO Starlight Reserve .
background
After it had been recognized that the very dark night sky on La Palma was almost ideal for astronomical observation and research, according to an international agreement from 1979 in 1985 on the highest point of the island, the Roque de los Muchachos , set up an observatory . The Roque de los Muchachos Observatory is part of the European Northern Observatory .
Ley del Cielo
In order to protect the Roque de los Muchachos observatory from light pollution, the so-called Ley del Cielo (“Heavenly Law”) was enacted in 1988 . It contains regulations on public, private and commercial outdoor lighting, the installation and operation of radio transmitters, industry and other factors that can negatively affect the quality of the atmosphere. In addition to light protection, it also regulates aspects relating to electromagnetic environmental compatibility and air pollution .
Due to the law z. For example, the old street lighting was replaced by special orange-colored lights that shine on the ground, and neon signs are subject to strict regulations.
Industrial area on La Palma at night
Starlight Initiative
La Palma Declaration
In 2007 the Starlight Initiative (delegates from UNESCO , UNWTO , IAU and other international organizations) published the Declaration in Defense of the Night Sky and the Right to Starlight ( La Palma Declaration ) after a conference on La Palma . As part of this conference, the concept of the Starlight Reserve (analogous to the biosphere reserve ) of UNESCO was developed.
Fundación Starlight
In 2009 the Fundación Starlight, funded by the Astrophysical Institute of the Canary Islands ( Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias , IAC) , was set up with the main objective of coordinating and managing the Starlight initiative .
Scope of the protected areas
Isla de La Palma (Ley del Cielo)
The protected area according to Ley del Cielo covers the entire island.
La Palma Reserva Starlight (UNESCO)
In April 2012 La Palma was recognized by the Fundación Starlight as the world's first Starlight Reserve according to the UNESCO categorization . The protected area includes the entire island, parts of the surrounding Atlantic Ocean and parts of the island of Tenerife , with a maximum extension of up to 160 km around the observatory. On the island itself, the area is divided into a core zone, a buffer zone I, a buffer zone II and the rest of the Ley del Cielo area.
La Palma Starlight Reserve (IUCN)
According to the classification of the Dark Skies Advisory Group (DSAG) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), protection is limited to the observatory and its immediate surroundings (areas of the Caldera de Taburiente National Park , the Pinar de Garafía nature reserve and the Natural parks of Las Nieves and Cumbre Vieja ).
Destino Turístico Starlight
The award is also marketed for tourism. It has been planned for a long time (since before the certification) to set up a visitor center in the area of the observatory in order to increasingly offer amateur astronomers the opportunity to use the special qualities of La Palma for stargazing. In the meantime (as of August 2014) the plans are becoming concrete.
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ Ley 31/1988 , Ley del Cielo , Light Protection Act, as PDF
- ↑ Declaration in Defense of the Night Sky and the Right to Starlight (La Palma Declaration) ( Memento of the original from December 11, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 1.3 MB). International Conference in Defense of the Quality of the Night Sky and the Right to Observe the Stars, La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain - 2007. - with the original text of the declaration; Web link: Declaration in Defense of the Night Sky and the Right to Starlight ( Memento of the original from August 20, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , on starlight2007.net
- ↑ Website of the Fundación Starlight ( Memento of the original of August 2, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ elapuron.com
- ↑ UNESCO Heritage of Astronomy
- ↑ UNESCO Heritage of Astronomy ( Memento of the original from September 18, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ DSAG PDF
- ↑ Stars Island La Palma
- ↑ kanarenexpress.com
- ↑ La Palma 24 Journal ( Memento of the original from October 29, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
