The Treasures of Arcos de Las Salinas

Arcos de las Salinas is a small village in Teruel with ancient, narrow streets, five hundred houses, one hundred inhabitants, a somewhat worn Baroque church, two bars, a store, a hotel, and a Moorish oven where bread will one day be baked again. Like many other villages in its surroundings, in the Gúdar and Javalambre mountains, Arcos de las Salinas is full of treasures: you can stroll, breathe, eat, sleep, and live in tranquility, see buzzards, serins, and hoopoes, hear the nightjars, listen to the sound of the river rising among the pine trees, and above all, gaze at the stars.

It has one of the cleanest skies on the planet. With no light pollution-new bulbs have just been installed in the village that create minimal impact on the observer-at an altitude of one thousand meters, with a dry climate, little rain, and even less fog. It was the chosen site for the Astrophysical Observatory of Javalambre, which scans space to detect dark energy and map the universe, located at the highest peak surrounding the village, Pico del Buitre. And now it is preparing for the inauguration of a beautiful project: Galáctica, a center for the dissemination and practice of astronomy open to children, adults, the curious, and amateur astronomers. From the outside, it looks like a spaceship, a flying saucer comfortably settled on the hillside. Inside, it features nine domes, a solar telescope, two nighttime telescopes, three semi-professional telescopes, and space designated to accommodate and set up visitors' telescopes.

A marvel that will allow many to expand their knowledge of the sky and for others simply admire it. We live in a country that has invested some resources-not too many-in protecting natural spaces, but has hardly invested in making the contemplation of the sky possible as it was for our grandparents. Therefore, we must celebrate whenever a place cares for the fascinating spectacle that the night and stars offer us. Thank you, Arcos de las Salinas, and happy launch of Galáctica.