Stargazing at the El Palmar viewpoint

Spot the stars through huge ravines

In the north-west corner of Tenerife in Buenavista del Norte, the El Palmar viewpoint is a fabulous area for searching the Canarian skies for stars, thanks to its low levels of light pollution. With rugged terrain, it is accessible by car and has parking. As it is a rural zone, remember to wear appropriate clothing and to take food and drink for the journey.

Enjoy the beauty of the Milky Way

You can enjoy terrific views of the stars from El Palmar with or without binoculars. The Milky Way crosses the night sky and you can pick out various groups of stars and gas concentrations and interstellar dust where stars are born. At a distance of more than five thousand light years from Earth you can see the Rosetta nebula, in the form of a celestial flower. Orion, who according to mythology baptised most of the constellations, is accompanied by his two dogs, Canis Major and Canis Minor. The best dates for observations are at the end of the year, looking to the south-east just as night falls.

Altitude

121 m

Protected sky

High degree of sharpness area

Information panels

Protected natural space

Buenavista del Norte

Map of Stargazing at the El Palmar viewpoint

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.