While Andromeda can also be seen with the naked eye, it is intriguing to view it through a powerful telescope. It’s as though your eye has taken an enormous, effortless leap through the vastness of interstellar space. And the thrill of the sighting makes you want to see more.
Luckily, anyone with the slightest inclination to explore such mysteries of the night sky will find considerable support for their curiosity in and around Barcelona. Stargazing, in fact, has long enjoyed passionate interest in Catalunya. Indeed, according to some experts, the region’s pre-historic dolmens, some of which date back 3,000 years, were placed according to precise astronomical observations. In more modern times, Catalunya pioneered Spain’s first astronomical societies, the earliest of which were founded here more than a hundred years ago.
In Barcelona, one such club is Aster, founded in 1948 with the aim of bringing modern astronomy closer to the general public. The club, which has about a hundred members, stages monthly outings to observe celestial wonders.
“We head out to the hills of Pujalt in Alt Anoia and set up our telescopes there,” explained Vincenç Castellote, Aster’s librarian. “Other times we simply go up to the grounds of the castle of Montjuïc or, for daytime observations of the sun, we set up a telescope by the Nova Icaria beach.”
Aster offers classes on a range of subjects from ‘astronomy for beginners’ to ‘urban astro-photography’, and occasional talks are also given by members or guests in their field of expertise. The classes, in Catalan or Castilian, are open to everyone, although members get a discount on the course fee.
Nocturnal outings are generally staged for members, but non-members will certainly not be turned away.
“We’re not an exclusive club,” Castellote recently told Metropolitan. “Members usually bring their own telescopes to the outings and if anyone else happens to show up, they’re welcome to join us.”
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