{"id":6198,"date":"2026-02-19T15:02:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T15:02:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.astri.inaf.it\/index.php\/astri-in-the-canary-islands-an-outstanding-site-from-a-meteorological-perspective\/2026\/"},"modified":"2026-02-19T16:31:52","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T16:31:52","slug":"astri-in-the-canary-islands-an-outstanding-site-from-a-meteorological-perspective","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.astri.inaf.it\/index.php\/astri-in-the-canary-islands-an-outstanding-site-from-a-meteorological-perspective\/2026\/?lang=en","title":{"rendered":"ASTRI in the Canary Islands: an outstanding site from a meteorological perspective"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mltkdmws-a77a3ee2947cabd5e84197b775f81583\">\n#top .av-special-heading.av-mltkdmws-a77a3ee2947cabd5e84197b775f81583{\npadding-bottom:10px;\n}\nbody .av-special-heading.av-mltkdmws-a77a3ee2947cabd5e84197b775f81583 .av-special-heading-tag .heading-char{\nfont-size:25px;\n}\n.av-special-heading.av-mltkdmws-a77a3ee2947cabd5e84197b775f81583 .av-subheading{\nfont-size:15px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='av-special-heading av-mltkdmws-a77a3ee2947cabd5e84197b775f81583 av-special-heading-h3  avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_one_half  avia-builder-el-first '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >ASTRI in the Canary Islands: an outstanding site from a meteorological perspective<\/h3><div class=\"special-heading-border\"><div class=\"special-heading-inner-border\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<div  class='flex_column av-aiwltq-9a7efed2e9aaca9e5cece81c0f9dad61 av_one_half  avia-builder-el-1  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_one_half  first flex_column_div  '     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-mltkeg0w-0282bd0ad20435893faab4b39be4e537 '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Canary Islands <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">host two of the most renowned astronomical sites in the world for the quality of their observing conditions, considered the most important in Europe for ground-based optical, infrared, millimeter, and gamma-ray astronomy. These are the <\/span><b>Teide Observatory<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, located on the island of Tenerife, and the <\/span><b>Roque de los Muchachos Observatory<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, on the island of La Palma. Both are operated by the <\/span><b>Instituto de Astrof\u00edsica de Canarias<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (<\/span><b>IAC<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is within this framework of excellence that the<\/span><b> ASTRI Mini-Array<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is being developed. The selected site is located in Tenerife, at the Teide Observatory in <\/span><b>Iza\u00f1a<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, at coordinates 28\u00b0 17&#8242; 60&#8243; North \u2013 16\u00b0 30&#8242; 21&#8243; West. This strategic position allows coverage of most of the northern sky in gamma rays and also enables observations of a significant portion of the southern sky. In particular, during the summer season, it will also be possible to observe the Galactic Center region, one of the most important scientific targets in high-energy Astrophysics.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The outstanding performance expected from ASTRI is closely linked to the meteorological conditions of the archipelago. The Canary Islands benefit from a stable subtropical climate throughout the year: they are located at latitudes close to the equatorial belt and outside the main paths of tropical storms and monsoons. This configuration results in an <\/span><b>exceptionally stable and clear atmosphere<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<div  class='flex_column av-8umoji-f1bc3cae8e3194cb022492c23cef921d av_one_half  avia-builder-el-3  el_after_av_one_half  el_before_av_one_half  flex_column_div  '     ><style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mltkj3ym-b6a2b8ce22bacb43c9ced1e89931cc69\">\n.avia-image-container.av-mltkj3ym-b6a2b8ce22bacb43c9ced1e89931cc69 img.avia_image{\nbox-shadow:none;\n}\n.avia-image-container.av-mltkj3ym-b6a2b8ce22bacb43c9ced1e89931cc69 .av-image-caption-overlay-center{\ncolor:#ffffff;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='avia-image-container av-mltkj3ym-b6a2b8ce22bacb43c9ced1e89931cc69 av-styling- avia-align-center  avia-builder-el-4  avia-builder-el-no-sibling '   itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><div class=\"avia-image-container-inner\"><div class=\"avia-image-overlay-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class='wp-image-6203 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-6203 avia_image ' src=\"https:\/\/www.astri.inaf.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_6440-1-1.jpg\" alt='Entrance of the Teide Observatory in Tenerife, where the ASTRI Mini-Array is located, together with many other telescopes, within the framework of a collaboration between the Instituto de Astrof\u00edsica de Canarias and numerous other international institutes.' title='IMG_6440 (1)'  height=\"330\" width=\"495\"  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\"  \/><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div  class='flex_column av-7gp21a-fdc181c402de4ccc98b33fab336d0932 av_one_half  avia-builder-el-5  el_after_av_one_half  el_before_av_one_half  first flex_column_div  column-top-margin'     ><style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mltkzak7-1e30751df5cfb89e3c15135a471512f5\">\n.avia-image-container.av-mltkzak7-1e30751df5cfb89e3c15135a471512f5 img.avia_image{\nbox-shadow:none;\n}\n.avia-image-container.av-mltkzak7-1e30751df5cfb89e3c15135a471512f5 .av-image-caption-overlay-center{\ncolor:#ffffff;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='avia-image-container av-mltkzak7-1e30751df5cfb89e3c15135a471512f5 av-styling- avia-align-center  avia-builder-el-6  avia-builder-el-no-sibling '   itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><div class=\"avia-image-container-inner\"><div class=\"avia-image-overlay-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class='wp-image-6205 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-6205 avia_image ' src=\"https:\/\/www.astri.inaf.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/nubi-1.png\" alt='The cloud layer caused by the thermal inversion, at an altitude lower than that of the telescopes. The photograph was taken from the Mirador Cumbres del Norte, along the road leading to the Teide Observatory.' title='nubi'  height=\"330\" width=\"495\"  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\"  \/><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div  class='flex_column av-55785q-3fe5b4e379a9d7705421afd186e02439 av_one_half  avia-builder-el-7  el_after_av_one_half  el_before_av_one_half  flex_column_div  column-top-margin'     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-mltkzjhq-6b74bc8c8ba8be1f82341a6ff1fc0a8e '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The astronomical observatories, including the ASTRI Mini-Array site, are located at about 2,400 meters above sea level, above the thermal inversion layer known as the <\/span><b><i>Alisio<\/i><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, typically found between 1,000 and 1,600 meters in altitude. This layer separates two distinct atmospheric regimes: below it lies the more humid marine boundary layer, while above it extends the free troposphere, characterized by dry air and greater stability.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being located above the inversion layer means operating above the so-called \u201csea of clouds,\u201d under generally clear conditions and with low atmospheric turbulence. The <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alisio <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">inversion layer is a semi-permanent phenomenon, present about 78% of the year. Its altitude and thickness vary seasonally: in winter, it is found at higher elevations (between 1,350 and 1,850 meters above sea level) and is thinner, while in summer, it descends (between 750 and 1,400 meters) and becomes thicker.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><\/p>\n<div  class='flex_column av-4eqxr2-1c58261caf4514eb234336e9eb7b9fb9 av_one_half  avia-builder-el-9  el_after_av_one_half  el_before_av_one_half  first flex_column_div  column-top-margin'     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-mltl14c2-9957d416af128bd86cc302de4a2d6387 '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The result is a <\/span><b>high percentage of usable observing nights<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The average cloud coverage recorded at the Teide Observatory, home of the ASTRI Mini-Array, is significantly lower than that of other international sites under development for Cherenkov astronomy. One example is the site in Tibet, where the <\/span><b>LACT <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(<\/span><b>Large Array of Imaging Cherenkov Telescopes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) array is currently under development and is strongly affected by precipitation during the summer monsoon period. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under such conditions, the observation of regions of great interest for gamma-ray astronomy, such as the Cygnus constellation, is severely limited.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this context, <\/span><b>ASTRI will be able to operate almost continuously throughout the year<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, ensuring a highly efficient and globally competitive observing cycle.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thanks to the combination of its strategic geographical position and exceptionally stable atmospheric conditions, the Canary Islands site of the ASTRI Mini-Array therefore represents an optimal choice to maximize the scientific return of the project.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<div  class='flex_column av-29a88e-7a7f7817eeb6a8b7038740a69fbe618e av_one_half  avia-builder-el-11  el_after_av_one_half  avia-builder-el-last  flex_column_div  column-top-margin'     ><style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mltl1lc5-0c8298070dbff49a18b91b3a75b97f25\">\n.avia-image-container.av-mltl1lc5-0c8298070dbff49a18b91b3a75b97f25 img.avia_image{\nbox-shadow:none;\n}\n.avia-image-container.av-mltl1lc5-0c8298070dbff49a18b91b3a75b97f25 .av-image-caption-overlay-center{\ncolor:#ffffff;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='avia-image-container av-mltl1lc5-0c8298070dbff49a18b91b3a75b97f25 av-styling- avia-align-center  avia-builder-el-12  avia-builder-el-no-sibling '   itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><div class=\"avia-image-container-inner\"><div class=\"avia-image-overlay-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class='wp-image-6208 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-6208 avia_image ' src=\"https:\/\/www.astri.inaf.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/grafico-1.png\" alt='Plot showing the number of days with rain or snow over the course of a year, comparing the ASTRI and LACT sites.' title='grafico'  height=\"275\" width=\"495\"  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\"  \/><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The ASTRI Mini-Array is currently under construction at the Teide Observatory in the Canary Islands, one of Europe\u2019s leading astronomical sites. Thanks to its strategic location and exceptional weather conditions, the project will be able to monitor a large portion of the northern sky and the Galactic Center, ensuring high observing efficiency throughout the year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":6187,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6198","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.astri.inaf.it\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6198","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.astri.inaf.it\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.astri.inaf.it\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.astri.inaf.it\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.astri.inaf.it\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6198"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.astri.inaf.it\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6198\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6210,"href":"https:\/\/www.astri.inaf.it\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6198\/revisions\/6210"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.astri.inaf.it\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6187"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.astri.inaf.it\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6198"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.astri.inaf.it\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6198"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.astri.inaf.it\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6198"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}