This meeting of researchers linked to the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) and its Observatories opened yesterday with a lectura by Francisco Sanchez, the founding Director, and the first full professor of astrophysics in Spain, in which he told us about how this scientific speciality was born and consolidated in Spain, a history which is related in his book “Dreaming of the Stars” (Soñando Estrellas). His talk was preceded by a formal act of inauguration, with authorities and organizers, and a talk by the present Director of the IAC, Rafael Rebolo, about the present and the future

The Founding Director of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) Francisco Sánchez, will give the inaugural lecture of the conference “Giving an impulse to Spanish Astrophysics: 50 years of doctoral theses in the IAC” this Wednesday at the Teatro Leal in La Laguna, in a public ceremony. He will talk about the birth and the consolidation of this branch of science in Spain, which is the subject of his recent book.

During the past week over a hundred specialists from all over the world have been meeting in La Laguna to discuss the study, in different areas of astrophysics, of the faintest and most diffuse objects in the sky. But no only professional astronomers have attended the meeting, organized by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). The participation of amateur astronomers is of importance for improving our knowledge of these “ghostly” structures.

For the fourth successive year the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias and the National Institute for Educational Technology and Teacher Training (INTEF), in collaboration with the International Menéndez Pelayo University (UIMP) has given teachers of secondary and pre-university education the opportunity to get to know the latest discoveries in astrophysics in a course given by professionals, thereby acquiring the tools for using them afterwards in the classroom.

Since 2009 almost 7,000 school students from La Palma have participated in the educational programme “Our students and the Roque de los Muchachos” whose aim is to popularize the research in astrophysics being carried out at the Observatory among secondary school students of the Island.