And if you add to all that the fact we’re talking to an astrophysicist whose passion is the sky, this interview becomes one of the most special ones we’ve done so far.
Together with Quim, we’ve had the pleasure of speaking with Antonia Varela, the director of the Starlight Foundation and the Cosmos Museum in Tenerife.

P. For those not familiar with the topic, how did the idea of studying astrophysics come about?
A. You don’t just wake up with that chip implanted, hahaha. I’ve always loved math, physics, and science in general from a very young age. There are two key moments that sparked my interest in what I do today: in fourth grade, I was fascinated by a book called Cosmos that explained the law of inertia—it’s a memory I still vividly remember. Another defining moment was one summer when my parents rented a house to spend the holidays with a family friend who wanted to be an astrophysicist. The house had the perfect location for stargazing.

P. How old were you when this idea first came up?
A. I was between 13 and 14 years old.

Q. That’s almost like being predestined!
A. During high school, I already decided I wanted to study physics and then specialize in astrophysics. I even had a teacher who tried to convince me to change my path and insisted that I should study something else. It’s funny because years later, when students from that same school and teacher visited the museum I run for a training day, I sent him a nice message saying I hadn’t done too badly, and I’d make sure his students learned a lot.

Q. Astrophysics is a complex field; I imagine it requires a lot of hours at the desk.
A. Yes, definitely. In fact, I remember the guy I fell in love with—who’s now my husband—totally nailed it by giving me a Carl Sagan book and a telescope. He was clear that he was going to be with someone who would even bring books to dates. Hahaha.

P. To study astrophysics, I guess you had to take post-graduate specialization, right?
A. Yes, exactly. There were two of us from the Canary Islands and ten in total in the program, which, by the way, we launched here. I was about to go to Barcelona to take the course, but in the end, they decided to offer it in the Canary Islands.

P. How was the experience?
A. I was the top student in my class. I knew this was my calling, but during the specialization, I confirmed it 100%. Also, thanks to my thesis, I had the chance to travel to extraordinary places like Cambridge and Chile. I have great memories of that time.

Q. I’m afraid to ask, but what was your thesis about?
A. I chose to study the morphology of galaxies by recreating and analyzing mathematical models in low-gas environments, where galactic bulges (central groups of stars) had formed, which are key to the origins of any galaxy. I studied this because it was uncommon, and until then, it had been suggested that, for there to be bursts where stars formed, it was essential to have high gas content environments.

P. I guess that the technology you had for that research was nothing compared to what we have today, right?
A. Yes, it was very complex. I recreated 3D models using photos, and I was the first to introduce light as an influencing factor when creating those models.

P. I don’t know much about it, but that sounds very innovative.
A. Yes, in fact, I have to say that my thesis has been used in various studies and publications since then.

Q. And after you finished… what does an astrophysicist do?
A. Well, like everyone, I tried to work in what I loved. The opportunity came to secure a postdoctoral contract through the university for a new project in the Canary Islands. The goal was to define parameters for measuring the quality of the sky in a specific area, specify the technology needed to gather that data, and share what we learned so the process could be replicated.

At that time, 90% of the locations dedicated to astronomy were in Chile, so we set out to compete, as the Canary Islands offered ideal conditions. It wasn’t enough to say “we are good at what we do”; we had to take it a step further and prove how good we were.

P. Clearly, the project was successful! What are the parameters for measuring sky quality?
A. There are more and more, but I’ll give you the most important ones: lack of turbulence, image clarity considering the passage of light, air transparency in the atmosphere, little to no light pollution, and minimal clouds, tropical storms, and hurricanes.

P. So, did this project lead to the creation of the Starlight Foundation?
A. Starlight was founded in 2007 with the goal of raising awareness about the La Palma Declaration. In 1988, a treaty was written and signed to protect the sky, applicable to La Palma and part of Tenerife, becoming the first of its kind. Starlight emerged with the mission of expanding its reach through training, events, cultural activities, and the work of its ambassadors worldwide.

When Starlight was created, its founders, Francisco Sánchez and Luis Martínez, contacted the university group I was working with on sky quality research. From the beginning, I joined Starlight as a trainer. Today, Starlight is the international face of the La Palma Declaration.

Q. What is the daily life like for the Director of the Starlight Foundation?
A. Busy, hahaha. The truth is that I never stop; with all the time zone changes, I often go to sleep answering an email and wake up answering another one. But it’s worth it, with all the projects we have going on, including certifications, courses, audits, collaborations… It’s amazing to see how the brand consolidates and grows sustainably, achieving the goals we set year after year. I like to say that I keep my eyes on the sky and my feet on the ground.

P. What a great phrase! To quantify the Starlight Foundation, what numbers would you highlight?
A. We organize 10 annual courses and collaborate both nationally and internationally. We provide training for technicians and entrepreneurs who want to orient their business toward sky protection. Also, to exemplify it, the demand for our certification is currently growing by 300% every year!

That being said, we grow sustainably. As important as expanding is ensuring our ambassadors reinforce the La Palma Declaration and Starlight’s values. We don’t want to just be a certification; if any certification fails to meet its commitments, it’s canceled without exception.

Q. Can a private entity get certified?
A. The sky doesn’t care whether it’s private or public: it transcends politics. We only have one, and we need to take care of it. Of course, a private entity can get certified by Starlight if they commit to and abide by the La Palma treaty and champion it.

Q. Well then, Skybubbles and Starlight are meant to be!
A. Skybubbles accommodations are fascinating because of the unique experience they offer to those who want to stargaze without interference. You’d be great allies. We should definitely talk about it!

Q. We should definitely discuss it!
Q. Thank you, Antonia!
A. Thank you!