Opening act in La Palma:Two new telescopes

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Next Friday,  October 10th, the MAGIC and MERCATOR telescopes will be inaugurated at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos (ORM), in La Palma (see press releases from October 2nd and 7th). The official opening, which will start at 10:30 AM (see attached itinerary), will go as follows:

- The opening will be presided by José Miguel Ruano, the Council for Education, Culture and Sports, who will be representing the President of the Government of Canarias.

- Welcome by Local Authorities.

- Speech by Gonzalo León, General Secretary of Scientific Policy, in representation of the Minister of Science and Technology.

- Speech by the Ministerial Director, Herman Shunck, representing the Minister of Education and Science of the Federal Republic of  Germany

- Some words by Marleen Vanderpoorten, the Minister of Education and Formation of the Flamenco Government of the Kingdom of Belgium.

- Closing speech by the Council of Education, Culture and Sports, José Miguel Ruano.

Subsequently, the opening ceremonies of the respective telescopes will take place. The MAGIC telescope is managed by an international consortium made up of 17 institutions from various countries, with strong  Spanish, German and Italian influences. A representative from each of these countries will be present. For the inauguration of MERCATOR, besides Minister Vanderpoorten, we will also count with the representatives of the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium), the institution that owns the telescope.

ITINERARY FOR THE MEDIA

8:00 A.M. Departure of the bus from the H10 Taburiente Playa Hotel, in the Cancajos

8:15 A.M. Stop in Santa Cruz de la Palma in front of an old inn to pick up the          representatives of the media that would like to get on the bus of the organizing party.

10:00 Arrival at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos. Presentation and handing over of the documentation in the MEETING ROOM (SALA DE REUNIONES). Certification for the media, for those using the bus as a mode of transportation, and those using their own vehicles as well.

Coffee

10:30 Commencement of the Opening Ceremony of the telescopes in the RESIDENCIA: Speeches by the authorities (Spanish/English)

11:15 Departure of the bus to the MAGIC telescope

            Opening speeches (English)

12:30 Departure of the bus to the MERCATOR telescope

Opening speeches (English)

13:30 Departure of the bus to the RESIDENCIA

14:00 BUFFET (next to the RESIDENCIA)

15:30 Departure of the bus toward Santa Cruz de la Palma and the H10 Taburiente Playa Hotel.

            Commencement of visits to the telescopes at ORM

18:00 Departure of the bus to Santa Cruz de la Palma and the H10 Taburiente Playa Hotel.

We ask the media that will be using their own transportation to be punctual and arrive at 10 AM to the ORM.

Contact phone numbers during the opening:

620265556 and 620265557.

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