Overview
- The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias said the Toledo-born physicist died Tuesday in Madrid at age 89.
- He created and led the IAC and was central to establishing the Teide and Roque de los Muchachos observatories as global facilities.
- Early agreements he brokered brought international telescopes to the islands in exchange for 20% observing time for Spanish science.
- He championed the 1988 Law of the Sky to curb light pollution and backed the Gran Telescopio de Canarias, inaugurated in 2009.
- Colleagues hailed his role in building Spain’s astrophysics training pipeline, with milestones including the country’s first PhD in the field in 1969 and first chair in 1974; local reports said he had long battled pulmonary fibrosis.