GRANTECAN S.A. is a public company that was founded in 1994 for the design and construction of the 10.4m Gran Telescopio CANARIAS, or GTC, located at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on the island of La Palma. In 2009, with the start of the scientific operational phase of the telescope, the company evolved its responsibility to include the operation of the telescope as a service to the wider scientific community.
Currently, GRANTECAN S.A. employs approximately 70 full-time staff. The company comprises 4 groups: administration, engineering operation, science operation, and development division. Its Director is Dr Romano Corradi. A full organization chart of GRANTECAN S.A. can be retrieved here.
The GTC project is actively supported by the Spanish Government and the Regional Government of the Canary Islands through the European Funds for Regional Development (FEDER) provided by the European Union. The project also includes the participation of the Mexican Instituto de Astronomía de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (IA-UNAM) and the Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica, and from the United States through participation of the University of Florida.
Apart from the telescope site at the observatory, the company's main location is in the Center for Astrophysics in La Palma (CALP), in Breña Baja, La Palma. The Developments Division is located on the premises of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias in La Laguna, Tenerife.
Contact details
| POSTAL ADDRESS - LA PALMA | FISCAL AND BILLING ADDRESS | |
| Gran Telescopio de Canarias, S.A. Center for Astrophysics in La Palma Cuesta de San José, s/n 38712 - Breña Baja S/C de Tenerife Spain |
Gran Telescopio de Canarias, S.A. Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias C/ Vía Láctea, S/N 38205 - San Cristóbal de La Laguna S/C de Tenerife Spain |
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| Telephone: +34 922 425 720 | Telephone: +34 922 315 031 | |
| Fax: +34 922 425 725 | Fax: +34 922 315 032 | |
| e-mail: gtc [at] gtc.iac.es | e-mail: gtc [at] gtc.iac.es | |
| Directions on how to get to CALP can be found here. | VAT No. ESA38354460 |
| TELESCOPE ADDRESS |
| Gran Telescopio de Canarias Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos 38783 - Garafía S/C de Tenerife Spain |
| Telephone: +34 922 405 600 |
| Fax: +34 922 405 603 |
| e-mail: gtc [at] gtc.iac.es |
Key contact points
| contact | telephone | email @ gtc.iac.es |
| Romano Corradi - Director |
922 425 720 ext: 727 922 315 031 ext: 599 |
romano.corradi |
| Lourdes González Rodríguez - Head of Administration |
922 425 720 ext: 721 922 315 031 ext: 525 |
lourdes.gonzalez |
| Antonio Cabrera Lavers - Head of Science Operations |
922 425 720 ext: 747 | antonio.cabrera |
| Javier Castro - Head of Developments Division |
922 315 031 ext: 597 | javier.castro.lopez |
| Luis Rodríguez García - Head of Engineering Operations |
922 425 720 ext: 734 | luis.rodriguez |
| GTC Control Room | 922 425 720 ext: 259 / 269 / 258 |
Public visits to the telescope
Casual visits to the GTC at night are not possible. However, in daytime group visits by schools, amateur astronomical societies and similar parties with a particular interest in the GTC can be organized.
The Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory runs a regular visits program to some of the telescopes through the “Instituto de Astrófísica de Canarias (IAC)” website. For booking online and more information please visit Visits to the Observatorio del Roque de Los Muchachos.
Last modified: 04 April 2023
