La Palma, Canary Islands, 1-8 July 2016

A workshop to protect our starry night heritage

Opening of the Starlight, Beyond Light Pollution Leadership Training Forum began with the Canary Island officials and press. Audrey Fisher, president of Chicago Astronomical Society and founder of One Star at a Time, Cipriano Marin coordinator of the Starlight Initiative, Canary Island astronomer Ovidiu Vaduvescu (Astro Travels), NOAO astronomer Connie Walker, and Fabio Falchi gave opening remarks following welcomes and commentary by Gonzalo Pascual and Ana Castañeda (La Palma Government) reflecting the La Palma commitment to light pollution reduction and protection of starlight.

On 18 May 2015 a 4-hour dark sky meeting took place in the Hotel Las Olas, La Palma Island, featuring international participation from Romania, USA, Canada and Netherlands via live webcast, with the aim to establish a workshop in 2016 in La Palma.

The committee of initiative of the 2016 workshop includes:

• Dr. Ovidiu Vaduvescu, astronomer Isaac Newton Group and Instituto Astrofisico de Canarias, Astro Travels, La Palma, Spain;
• Audrey Fischer, president of Chicago Astronomical Society and founder of One Star at a Time, USA;
• Valentin Grigore, President of SARM, Romania; National Coordinator for Romania of Astronomers Without Borders - AWB;
• Cipriano Marin, co-ordinator of the Starlight Initiative in partnership with UNESCO-MaB, Spain.

More information:

Web Page of the Workshop - Astrotravels

Presentations and participants

• Cipriano Marin, co-ordinator of the Starlight Initiative in partnership with UNESCO-MaB, Spain - Alternative ways of lighting the UNESCO sites
• Dr. Connie Walker, National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP), International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) and the International Astronomical Union (IAU), USA - The Quality Lighting Teaching Kit
• Prof. Dr. Fabio Falchi, The Light Pollution Science and Technology Institute (ISTIL) and CieloBuio, main author of the world light pollution satellite map, Italy - The new World Atlas of Light Pollution and Light Pollution: What Next?
• Javier Diaz Castro, cheef of the "Oficina Tecnica para la Proteccion de la Calidad del Cielo" (OTPC), Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC), Tenerife, Spain - Site Protection Experience and Updated Regulations in Canary Islands Observatories
• Dr. Antonia Varela Perez, Starlight Foundation, Instituto Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC), Canary Islands, Spain 
• Prof. Dr. Michael Siminovich, director of the California Lighting Technology Center, USA 
• Rod McConnell, Founder of Alberta Dark Skies Association, Edmonton Light-Efficient Community Policy Committee, Alberta, Canada - Light Efficient Communities (Rod's website)
• Dr. Richard Wainscoat, Institute of Astronomy, the University of Hawaii, International Astronomical Union (IAU) commissions Protection of Existing and Potential Observatory Sites and Controlling Light Pollution, USA - How to Protect Astronomical Sites from Light Pollution
• Ian Cheney, director of "The City Dark" (the best movie about light in the world)
• Audrey Fischer, president of Chicago Astronomical Society and founder of One Star at a Time, USA 
• Valentin Grigore, President of SARM, national coordinator for Romania of Astronomers Without Borders - AWB, Romania 
• Pedro Sanhueza, director OPCC, La Serena, Focal Point of the Starlight Initiative - Latinoamerica (webcast) - Implementing the new Lighting Norm: Supreme Decree N043/2012 MMA
• Antonio Gallardo Campos, director of Fuerteventura Biosphere Reserve, Canary Islands, Spain
• Dr. Salvador Ribas, director of the Montsec Astronomical Park, Spain (webcast) - Parc Astronomic Montsec: research, outreach, education and tourism in a protected area
• Dr. Elena Nordio, Astronomer and Starlight Guide, founder of Ad Astra La Palma, Spain - Keep Calm and Enjoy the Stars
• Colleen Murray, Teacher and coach, and the Students of Starry Chicago. Amundsen High School, Chicago Public Schools, USA (webcast) - Starry Chicago Amundsen High School and Youth Civic Engagement and the Fight for a Starry Chicago and Aspen Colorado Video
• Diane Turnshek, Carnegie Mellon University, USA - 6000 Hostages 
• Ana Castaneda, Cabildo de La Palma (insular government), Tourism Section, Cheef of General Affairs, La Palma, Spain - Public Outreach and Teaching the People of La Palma about the Sky

Download presentations:

Astrotravels web site