Stargazing at the Garajonay Summit

Sky gazing with hardly any light contamination in La Gomera

In the heart of La Gomera, the Summit of Garajonay is a natural platform for observing the skies. Easy to get to by car and with a small parking area, from the top you can see the western Canary islands on a clear day. At 1,487 metres above sea level this is one of the best places to see the starry skies in La Gomera given its privileged position in the island and the relative lack of light contamination.

Spectacular panoramic views of Sagittarius and Scorpio

In August, just as night falls, looking towards the south you can see the constellations that float over the densest part of the Milky Way, Sagittarius and Scorpion. If it’s a dark night the vision of the nucleus of our galaxy is splendid. In the Scorpion constellation one star shines brighter than the others, with an orangey red tone: it’s Antares, the red star, 700 times bigger than our Sun. Close to Antares, with the help of binoculars, you can see a ball of stars almost like a blurry stain. This is M4, a large global cluster of old stars 7,200 light years away.

Altitude

1.484 m

Protected sky

High degree of sharpness area

Information panels

Parking

Protected natural space

Vallehermoso

Summit of Garajonay + Stargazing in La Gomera

Alto de Garajonay. Observación de estrellas en La Gomera

Map of Stargazing at the Garajonay Summit

Sustainability

Never leave waste of any type lying around, including cigarette butts. Leftover food leads to a proliferation of rats and wild cats, which pose a serious threat to the fauna.
Respect the animals. Do not bother them or feed them. If you see an injured specimen, you can call the emergency number: 112. Do not pick flowers or plants.
Do not pick up or take away stones or any other item from the natural environment. And do not move them to pile them up into sadly famous 'towers'.
Turn off car headlights and do not use torches. That will help minimise the light pollution of the sky.
If you are at an astronomical viewpoint, respect and look after the different items of public furniture (information panels, railings, seats, lighting, binoculars and telescopes, etc.).
Try and be silent or talk quietly. The experience will be more enjoyable.