{"id":7024,"date":"2014-06-13T19:23:42","date_gmt":"2014-06-13T16:23:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uni-mag.gr\/telescopes\/"},"modified":"2024-02-25T20:33:41","modified_gmt":"2024-02-25T18:33:41","slug":"telescopes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uni-mag.gr\/en\/telescopes\/","title":{"rendered":"WHAT IS IT: Telescopes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

According to the locals, the Canary Islands belong politically to Europe (Spain), geographically to Africa, and culturally to Latin America. They are located approximately 100 km west of Morocco. Historically, they got their name from Pliny, from the wild dogs (canes) that lived there, and it seems they were inhabited by ancient Greeks as well.<\/p>\n\n

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Location of the Canary Islands on the map<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Their favorable geographical location combined with their dry climate were significant factors in making them an attraction for scientists, particularly astronomers. Nowadays, 37 observatories have been installed on the high peaks of their mountains. In this issue and in upcoming ones, we will guide you through some of them!<\/p>\n\n

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The telescopes, as they appear on the peaks in La Palma.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

NOT – Nordic Optical Telescope<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

The project for the construction of a Northern European Telescope was first proposed in 1980 by professors Bengt Str\u00f6mgren and Anders Reiz, who secured funding for a feasibility study for a 2.5-meter telescope from the Carlsberg Foundation. Funding for the initial activities of the project, such as site selection and design, began from the Swedish and Danish Research Councils for Natural Sciences. Thus, the Scientific Society of the Northern European Optical Telescope (NOTSA) was established in January 1984 with funding from four European councils (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden).<\/p>\n\n

The construction began in Las Palmas, in the Canary Islands. After several technical and financial challenges, the telescope became officially operational in 1989, and regular observations began in 1990. Hugo Schwarz took on the task of further improving the telescope in the following years due to its excellent location and the observations it provided to science. Thus, it was equipped with a set of modern optical and infrared instruments. Some of these are:<\/p>\n\n