IMAGE GALLERY

M31 Andromeda galaxy at 2.5 M light-years

Welcome to B06 Montseny Observatory homepage,

I’m an astrophysicist specialized in planetary sciences, and astrobiology working as CSIC research scientist at the Institute of Space Sciences (CSIC) and the Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC). I doctorate in Physics, speciality in astrophysics by the Universitat de València on 2002. From 2003 to 2005 I worked as a postdoc researcher at the Earth, Planetary & Space Sciences Department (UCLA). In my return to Catalonia, I started pioneer research on Meteoritica and focused in teaching astronomy, astrobiology and planetary sciences.

My passion by science outreach started much earlier, since I was a Physics student. I worked thirteen years at the Planetari de Castelló and four at Universitat Jaume I. I started as amateur astronomer first, being fourteen years old, becoming really passionated about observational astronomy during comet 1P/Halley return. For that reason, I enjoy popularizing astronomy among the public and boosting professional carriers.

Now I’m a master professor leading the ICE-CSIC research group on Asteroids, Comets and Meteorites. Over the last 15 years I’ve directed five Ph.D. theses, and about twenty master theses. I have also participated in several space missions like e.g. Stardust and DART NASA missions and Hera (ESA).

Feel free to contact me if you have motivated children wishing to visit our observatory, just because they are passionated about the Universe. I’m also glad to give e-mail advice to students whising to do an astronomy carrier, and enterprises contributing to protect the night sky.

Be also aware that, in order to popularize astronomy, I’ve written fifteen books and I also periodically publish posts in outreach platforms like e.g. Conversation.es or Divulcat.

I’m also promoting astronomical observations, and leading several outreach projects like e.g. the group AstroKeda to organize astronomy outreach events. Concerning astrophotography I can give advice to amateur astronomers about the use of photographic and CCD cameras, and state-of-the-art techniques to strength your observational capabilities.

From an observational perspective, I’m a well-recognized expert in solar system minor bodies, being in charge of planning follow-up observations from the Joan Oró telescope at Montsec Observ., the largest telescope in Catalonia, belonging to IEEC.

M45 Pleyades open cluster at 445 light-years

The Montseny Astronomical Observatory is located in the middle of the nature, closeby to the Montseny Natural Park. Our visit includes observing solar system and deep sky objects through the LX200 telescope, plus a teaching about aligning telescope mountings, and using digital cameras and several types of telescopes to get astrophotographies, and accurate astrometric and photometric measurements