Remote observatory · La Palma South · 515 m

Astrophotography on La Palma –
no travel, no equipment of your own.

La Palma is considered one of the darkest astronomical sites in Europe. With StarShare you access this advantage remotely – no flight, no hotel, no luggage full of telescope and mount.

The site

La Palma South – what makes this sky special

La Palma is the only island in Europe with legally enshrined light protection (Ley del Cielo, the Canary Islands' light-protection law). The StarShare site is in the southwest at 515 m elevation.

21.9+ SQM (mag/arcsec²) – measured sky brightness at the site
~250 clear nights per year at the site (based on historical weather data)
UTC+0 Europe-friendly time zone – you observe in the evening, not at 3am

Real images

What's possible under the La Palma sky

All images were captured live with the ZWO SeeStar S30 Pro at the La Palma South site. No stock material, no post-processing with third-party data.

M8 Lagoon Nebula and M20 Trifid Nebula, captured with SeeStar S30 Pro on La Palma, 9 hours exposure over multiple nights

M8 · Lagoon Nebula + M20 · Trifid Nebula · 9 h exposure over multiple nights (multi-night image)

NGC 7000 North America Nebula, captured with SeeStar S30 Pro on La Palma, 3 hours exposure

NGC 7000 · North America Nebula · 3 h exposure

What you can photograph

Possible observation targets

Via the SeeStar App you choose directly from the built-in object catalog. The SeeStar S30 Pro (30 mm apochromat, f/5) is designed for bright emission nebulae, reflection nebulae, open star clusters, galaxies and the moon. Available targets depend on the season and the current site horizon.

The astronomical night on La Palma begins between 9pm and 11pm depending on the season and ends at dawn. Thanks to UTC+0, that falls right in the European evening.

More sample images →

Who is it for?

Astrophotography on La Palma – for these audiences

StarShare is for anyone who wants deep-sky images without having to travel or acquire equipment themselves.

Beginners

No prior knowledge needed. The SeeStar App handles alignment, focus and stacking fully automatically.

Experienced amateur astronomers

Try the Canary Islands sky before investing in your own equipment or a trip.

FITS enthusiasts

Let the telescope expose under SQM 21.9+ and process the raw data at home with Siril or PixInsight.

Rent telescope time

FAQ

Questions about astrophotography on La Palma

Do I need astronomical prior knowledge?

No. The SeeStar App handles alignment, focus and tracking fully automatically. You choose a target from the catalog – the telescope does the rest.

What's the best time for astrophotography on La Palma?

Based on historical weather data, La Palma offers around ~250 clear nights a year. You can see the current weather and seeing status live on the homepage. Booked hours never expire due to bad weather.

What's the difference to actually travelling to La Palma?

With StarShare you don't travel. The telescope stays permanently at the site; you control it via app from home. No flight, no hotel, no luggage full of delicate equipment.

How long are my booked hours valid?

Booked observation hours are valid for 12 months from the date of payment. Within that time, they never expire due to bad weather – you observe when conditions are right.

Can I get the raw data for my own processing?

Bookable as an optional add-on: FITS individual frames as a download link (valid 72 hours).

Book

Your first La Palma image is waiting

Choose hours, enter your email. Booking confirmation arrives immediately, invoice with payment link within 2 hours.

Go to booking →