A billion stars in Mallorca

In the Mediterranean Sea, in the archipelago of the Balearic Islands, the skies are often clear and black, perfect for viewing the stars, from outside on the grounds to the suites of all the five star hotels Mallorca has to offer.  Several of my friends have a keen interest in astronomy and so I’m always looking for a place where I can see the billions of stars the Milky Way Galaxy has to offer.  For that reason, I was really pleased to see that Mallorca, in addition to its fine hotels and restaurants, also is the home of an astronomical observatory.

The Observatorio Asatronomico de Mallorca (OAM)  was built nearly twenty years ago, in 1991, and was Spain and the Baleric Islands’ first astronomical center.  It carries on important work there, using robotic telescopes to track more than two thousand asteroids, keeping a vigilant eye out for those hunks of space rock that might one day threaten the Earth.  In fact, they’ve already found one such potentially hazardous asteroid (asteroid 2006 WH1). Although they carry out serious work, clearly astronomers have a sense of humor and pride in national sports: An asteroid discovered by OAM in 2003 (asteroid 128036) was later named after former world champion Spanish tennis player, Rafael Nadal.  Mallorca and Spain certainly does its part in the protection of our planet and the exploration of the solar system and space.

Of course, Mallorca, has other attractions apart from the night sky.  It’s rich in history; with people living on the island all the way back to the Paleolithic Period (roughly 6,000 to 4,000 BC).  It’s rich in cuisine; as of a few years ago, the island boasted over 2,400 restaurants, known for its pork and vegetables (arros brut), saffron rice and chicken (sobrassada) and a sweet pastry (Ensaimades).  But the local diet contains a lot of olives and almonds: The island boasts over four million olive and almond trees!