Stargazing on La Palma, an 8-Inch Maksutov and the Southern Cross

La Palma sits far enough south that in summer the observation reaches as far as the Southern Cross, which is not something most of Europe can say. The instrument is a Maksutov, a Skywalker with an 8-inch primary mirror, and the night is spent working through what it can reach: the Moon, the planets, star clusters, galaxies and the Milky Way, which from this island shows up in long stretches rather than patches. Between turns at the eyepiece comes the talk, and it is mostly about scale. How far away the objects are, how the solar system is arranged with its nearest neighbours, what is close and what only looks close. Constellations are picked out overhead with a laser pointer, which is easier to follow than a chart in the dark. Astrophotography is part of the session. Cancelling at least 24 hours before the start returns the full fare.