Our plan was to explore the island through excursions, relax by sunbathing and swimming in the sea, and rappel down the Roque for some laid-back stargazing.

Hartmut has described our travel itinerary on his website.

The schedule was adjusted to suit local conditions.

On the day of our arrival, after checking into the Hotel Sol La Palma, we took a short evening stroll to explore Puerto Naos, our base on the southwest coast.

The following day, June 1st, we were picked up by minibus in the morning to explore the island.

We took an excursion to the Caldera National Park and the La Cumbrecita viewpoint, which offered impressive views looking up into the interior of the Caldera de Taburiente.

During a walk to the "Mirador de las Chozas" viewpoint, we were able to see the peak of the Roque opposite us for the first time and—with the help of binoculars—catch a glimpse of the observatory’s two white domes.

On the drive from El Paso to Santa Cruz, we passed through an impressive "waterfall of clouds" on the LP3 just before the tunnel entrance.

The island's capital, Santa Cruz, was our next destination; there, we toured the charming old town, which invites visitors to browse the shops and stop at one of the many cafés.

The hike to the volcano: Afterward, the tour continued south along the east coast to the Teneguía volcano—whose last eruption in 1971 added approximately 2 km² of new land to the island's southern tip.

Our next destination was the island's capital, Santa Cruz, where we toured the charming old town—a place that invites visitors to browse the shops and stop at one of the many cafés.

The hike to the volcano: Afterward, the tour continued south along the east coast to the Teneguía volcano; its last eruption in 1971 added approximately two square kilometers of new land to the island's southern tip.

There, we witnessed a unique method of viticulture, with vines and grapes lying flat against the ground to withstand fierce downslope winds.

We set off on a short hike to the caldera of the volcanic cone and discovered vents in the rock that were noticeably hot, caused by volcanic activity.

A bite to eat at a small kiosk above the picturesque swimming cove of Punta Larga rounded off our first exploration of the island.

June 2nd: the day and night on the mountain.

At 9:30 a.m., our taxi driver, Jose, picked us up in a minibus.

We traveled via the towns of Tazacorte, Tijarafe, and Puntagorda—a journey of nearly two hours that was very winding but offered spectacular views—up to the Roque de Los Muchachos.

Above the tree line, at an altitude of just over 2,000 meters, several domes gleamed against a steel-blue sky.

We had a few minutes to spare before being collected for a guided tour of the Gran Telescopio Canarias dome.

The meeting point was in front of the two MAGIC telescopes. Right on schedule, a lady stepped out of a car and welcomed us to the observatory site in both English and Spanish. She showed us the numerous telescopes on the Roque and asked us to follow her in our cars to the GRANTECAN dome.

In the anteroom, after addressing a total of 20 visitors, she handed out hard hats and remarked:

„And now you have to do much more interesting than listen to a talking women on the floor – Please follow me”

We ascended an iron staircase into the interior of the 10.4-meter telescope's dome.

We gazed upward in awe, trying to capture the sight. Before us stood a colossus, over 25 meters tall and weighing 500 tons. Auxiliary instruments for the Nasmyth focus are mounted on massive platforms beside the azimuth telescope's bearings. Viewed from below, the Zerodur mirror segments shimmered brown high overhead.

After a very lively and humorous presentation by our guide—who was responsible for software at the JKT (Jacobus Kapteyn Telescope)—we said our goodbyes and drove up to the summit parking area at Roque.

From two viewing platforms, we enjoyed not only an impressive panorama but also views into the Caldera de Taburiente, looking all the way down to a mountain pasture 5000 feet below.

After spending a good amount of time at the summit, we looked for a suitable spot nearby to set up our modest equipment.

We then all drove back towards Puerto Naos together, stopping along the way at a charming restaurant called "Briestos"—located between Hoya Grande and Puntagorda—for a delicious meal.

At 6:30 p.m., after freshening up briefly at the hotel, the three of us drove our rental car back up to the Roque, arriving around 8:00 p.m.

The weather forecast promised clear skies—following the brief passage of a cloud bank—with temperatures around 12°C and 4% humidity.

A short distance beyond the observatory grounds, we set up our equipment in a sheltered spot next to a viewpoint. Mercator Telescope was within sight of our location.

A Skywatcher FH 120/600 comet seeker on an AZ3 mount and a Hofheim 200/800 Dobsonian—placed on a lightweight aluminum folding table from camping equipment manufacturer Fritz Berger—fit comfortably on the hiking path beside the road, situated between a small rock face and the guardrail.

From that spot, with a windbreak at our backs, we had an excellent view to the south, looking out almost right over the edge.

The shadow of the Roque on the opposite side of the caldera.

We had plenty of time to prepare well for the night ahead and to enjoy the sunset and the surrounding panorama.

Using the comet seeker, we could peer through the dome slit at the Mercator Teleskope—where our colleagues were working—and even snap photos by holding a Canon Ixus camera up to the eyepiece.

A blanket of clouds slowly closed in all around us, roughly 800 meters below.

At twilight, we had a beautiful view of the Earth's shadow.

As darkness deepened, we used a star chart to identify a trio of stars on the southern horizon—previously unknown to us—as Beta, Gamma, and Delta Crucis (the Southern Cross).

Using the comet-seeker, I spotted the open star cluster NGC 4752—known as the Jewel Box—right next to the star Mimosa (Beta Crucis). It was the southernmost deep-sky object visible from the Roque site.

After a patch of cirrus clouds cleared, Omega Centauri shone brilliantly, clearly visible to the naked eye. We were absolutely blown away!

Gradually, the view was enhanced using increasingly powerful optical aids.

First with the Kronos 6x30WW, then the Swift 8.5x44, then the comet finder at 20x magnification with a 4.2° field of view, and finally the 8-inch Hofheim Dobsonian with a 24mm PanO and 9mm Nagler—an instrument that presented the globular cluster filling the entire field of view.

The next object of our desire was the radio galaxy Centaurus A. Even in the comet finder, at 20x magnification, a round object is visible, split by a thick, dark dust lane in a 60:40 ratio. The 8-inch Hofheim revealed significantly more detail; next time, I absolutely must view this object with a 16-inch aperture!

After each of us had thoroughly examined these highlights with our various optical aids, we set our sights on the next target: the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy, Messier83.

While barely discernible through the atmospheric haze at our home latitudes, here on the Roque it shines brightly about 30° above the horizon. As we swept the area with the comet-hunting scope, M83 stood out unmistakably as a round object. With a little patient observation, two spiral arms could be made out using a 120mm aperture—features that were impossible to miss in the 8-inch Hofheim telescope.

The dwarf galaxy NGC 5253, located just below it, was also clearly identified in the 8-inch scope as a small, oval patch of light.

Before the constellation Hydra sets, I swing the Dobsonian to NGC 3242, "Jupiter's Ghost." At 90x and 160x magnification, a bluish oval is visible in the 8-inch Dob.

I also had to take in the small planetary nebula NGC 3132—a tiny oval ring—since I don't often get the chance to sweep the sky at a declination of -40°.

As for the Antlia galaxy NGC 3271, either I or the 8-inch scope had to admit defeat at this spot in the sky; it remained hidden from my view.

On the way back toward the southern horizon, we stopped at the galaxy NGC 3621—an oval, spindle-shaped object beautifully framed by four stars.

Next came the Antennae Galaxies (NGC 4038/39), which, at 90x magnification in an 8-inch Dobsonian telescope, look like two auricles stapled together.

With the naked eye, the star Toliman (Alpha Centauri) was now visible just above Pico Birigoyo—a 1,900-meter-high volcanic cone in the south of La Palma—while we had already been observing Hadar (Beta Centauri) for quite some time.

I failed to locate Proxima, either due to the limitations of my optical aids or because the neighboring star was positioned below the horizon.

NGC 4945 in Centaurus was easy to find with the 8-inch telescope; this elongated galaxy is also a relatively simple target in a comet seeker— galaxy-hunting at a declination of nearly -50° is great fun!

Emboldened by this, I tried for NGC 3918—a magnitude 8 planetary nebula at -57°—but unfortunately could not spot it with the 8-inch scope.

In contrast, the small globular cluster NGC 5286 was a very easy target due to its proximity to a brighter star.

While scanning this corner of the sky with the 8-inch telescope, one also inevitably lingers on the small planetary nebula NGC 5882 in the constellation Lupus—a lovely little object with a blue hue.

A few degrees further north, the next target is NGC 5986, a brighter and very compact globular cluster.

Between Lupus and the constellation Scorpius—which had not yet fully reached its peak altitude—we observed beautiful chains of stars near the open cluster NGC 6124 using a comet seeker and an 8-inch Dobsonian telescope.

By this time, M6 and M7 were bright, easily visible objects to the naked eye.

The moment had arrived to spend some time admiring the magnificent constellation of Scorpius with the naked eye and to sweep across it with the small 6x30 Kronos binoculars, which offer a 12.5° field of view.

Next, objects in the vicinity of Scorpius were located using the comet seeker and the 8-inch Dobsonian.

South of M7 lies the beautiful, small, and compact globular cluster NGC 6441, which is very easy to find thanks to a nearby bright star.

A little further down is NGC 6541, a fairly bright globular cluster that can be resolved at the edges with an 8-inch telescope.

About 7° further west lies NGC 6388, another globular cluster with a magnitude brighter than 7.

NGC 6397—located about 10° further south in the constellation Ara and shining at a magnitude of approximately 5—is described as the globular cluster closest to us.

It is a beautiful object in an 8-inch Dobsonian telescope, where it resolves well.

Culminating just over 15° above the horizon, the open cluster NGC 6231 is highly conspicuous to the naked eye and a delight to view with any available optical aid.

Numerous beautiful star formations can be seen all the way up to NGC 6242. These are fantastic objects for a comet-hunting telescope!

I struggled to spot IC 4628—a large, faint emission nebula—but two fields of view to the north, the dark nebula B50 stood out in striking contrast against the sea of ​​stars!

The Bug Nebula (NGC 6302) is one of my favorite objects in this region; while easily overlooked with the comet seeker at 20x magnification, it reveals an elongated shape—pinched somewhat off-center—when viewed at 90x and 160x through an 8-inch Dobsonian. That is when I wish I had a larger aperture.

Using the comet seeker and a UHC filter, I try my hand at observing NGC 6334, the Cat's Paw Nebula. I am fairly certain I detected some faint brightening.

In contrast, B59-78—the Pipe Nebula—is easily visible even to the naked eye. It stands out with even greater contrast when viewed through the 6x30 Kronos. The elongated dark filament known as "the Long River"—which begins at Rho Ophiuchi and extends beyond the Pipe Nebula—is also clearly discernible.

The central cloud of the Milky Way shines with a brightness unfamiliar to Central Europeans atop the Roque.

Some time is spent observing it with the naked eye and small 6x binoculars. It is a truly memorable experience that rewards the journey and the effort required to get here.

The ink-blot-like B86, alongside the lovely star cluster NGC 6520, is a delightful sight in both telescopes.

In the comet seeker, the dark lanes of the Trifid Nebula (M20) are easily visible without a filter, and even more distinct in the 8-inch Dobsonian.

The brighter deep-sky objects in the constellations Sagittarius and Ophiuchus—such as M8, M24, M17, and M16—shine with true splendor here, even with more modest apertures.

Unfortunately, from 2:30 AM onwards, a very gusty wind picks up from the west, blowing right into our observing lane.

From that point on, enjoyable observing with the 8-inch Dobsonian is hardly possible; it shakes like a wet dog, though viewing remains passably feasible with the comet seeker at 20x magnification.

At 3:30 a.m., I retreat to our car for half an hour; while I catch a brief nap, the vehicle is shaken violently by gusts of wind.

By around 4:30 a.m., we are thoroughly chilled by the wind and dead tired.

We pack up our small set of instruments and begin the drive back to Puerto Naos at 5:00 a.m. Shortly after 5:30 a.m., two espressos at a roadside coffee bar in Puntagorda—which has opened early—help me immensely to safely complete the drive to our hotel.

The following day, June 3rd, was dedicated to resting and reflecting on the successful night spent at the Roque.

While we took a nap, the rest of the group went for a hike around the Pico Birigoyo volcano.

When we met up again in the afternoon, we had plenty to share with one another.

We spent the day on Saturday, June 4th, at the beach; in the evening, we set off—accompanied by our wives—for a stargazing session at the "Mirador de los Llanos de Jable" viewpoint, located at an altitude of approximately 4000 feet.

Several information boards featuring astronomical content and a signpost pointing to Polaris have been set up there.

The view to the south is somewhat restricted by two volcanic peaks, but Omega Centauri and the entire constellation of Scorpius are visible.

Unfortunately, our observations were repeatedly interrupted by patches of fog rolling in. After about an hour, the sky clouded over completely.

We called it a night as early as 11:00 p.m. due to the hopeless weather conditions.

Sunday, June 5: Hike into the Caldera de Taburiente.

We set off at 9:00 a.m. for the 16 km hike into the Caldera de Taburiente.

Our driver dropped us off at the "Mirador de los Brechitos" parking area, at an elevation of 1,030 meters above sea level.

From there, hiking trails lead past a mountain pasture—one we had previously spotted from the Roque. The route takes you past "Idafe Rock"—the caldera's natural monument—to the Casa de Taburiente, the base for the nature park rangers.

In total, the hike involved an ascent of 150 meters and a descent of 850 meters before we reached the challenging section—a roughly 6-kilometer scramble over rocks that took us in and out of the Taburiente riverbed several times.

This final leg, lasting about three hours, really put our thigh and calf muscles to the test.

All participants felt the aftereffects the following day.

On Monday, June 6th, after a brief period of rest, we toured the old town of Santa Cruz, where our wives bought a few souvenirs and some jewelry made with lava stones.

On Tuesday, June 7th, we took our return flight to Stuttgart in the early evening, arriving safely at 11:00 PM.

A heartfelt thank you to my friends Hartmut and Maristelle for this wonderful trip to *Isla Bonita*!