On the occasion of its 40th anniversary, the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) has received a very special recognition: the issue by Correos of a commemorative stamp celebrating the centre's four decades of history, research and technological development.

The stamp is part of the philatelic series ‘ESPAÑA ES. Science’, a collection that highlights science, technology and innovation as drivers of economic and social development. Under the slogan ‘40 years dreaming stars’, this issue highlights the role of the IAC as an international reference in astrophysics and the relevance of its observatories, located in Tenerife and La Palma, which share a privileged position with the most outstanding observatories on the planet.

Since its official inauguration in June 1985 by the King and Queen of Spain, the IAC has grown steadily to become a leading scientific institution. That inaugural ceremony, held in the presence of European royal houses, heads of state, ministers, Nobel Prize winners and more than 200 accredited journalists from all over the world, marked the first steps of what is now a world-class scientific institution.

The issue of this stamp also recognises the contribution of Spanish science and of the IAC in particular to the advancement of knowledge, the promotion of scientific vocations and the connection between talent, innovation and the future. With each mailing, this philatelic piece carries a clear message: science is also communicated, shared and projected towards society.

Technical characteristics of the stamp:
Printing process: Offset
Paper: Coated, rubberised, phosphorescent
Stamp size: 40.9 x 57.6 mm
Sheet effects: Sheet of 20 + 20 vignettes. Has Premium Sheet of 6.
Postal value of the stamps: 2,40 euros
Print run: 90.000

More information:
https://www.correos.es/es/es/particulares/filatelia/productos-filatelic…