Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias

The Sky Law

On the 31st October 1988 the Spanish Government passed the Law for the Protection of the Astronomical Quality of the IAC Observatories (Law 31/1988, pdf), which was proposed by the parliament of the Canary Islands. On the 13th March 1992 the government approved the Regulations for the law (R.D. 243/1992, pdf).

The IAC's Sky Quality Protection Technical Office regulates the application of the law and provides advice to residents on compliance.

The law deals with four main areas:

• Light pollution
  It regulates exterior lighting on the island of La Palma and the area of Tenerife directly visible from it to prevent light pollution.
• Radioelectrical pollution
  It sets limits for electromagnetic radiation so that it does not interfere with equipment or corrupt results at the observatories and prevents radioelectrical pollution.
• Atmospheric pollution
  It controls activities which could damage the atmosphere over the observatories to prevent atmospheric pollution.
• Aviation routes
  It regulates air traffic over the observatories to prevent interference from aviation routes.