Caja Rural de Teruel and the Centro de Estudios de Física del Cosmos de Aragón (CEFCA) signed this morning the renewal of their collaboration agreement, which will allow 2,000 students from the province of Teruel to visit Galáctica during the 2025/2026 academic year at reduced prices. This initiative is made possible thanks to the subsidy provided by the credit cooperative. School groups will benefit from a €3 discount on each Galáctica ticket, bringing the final price down to €5.

Educational centres and Parents’ Associations from schools in the province of Teruel interested in this offer may request further information by calling +34 613 291 772. To formalise the booking, they must send an email to educacion@galactica.org.es . Requests will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.

The signing ceremony, held this morning at CEFCA headquarters, was attended by the Regional Minister for Employment, Science and Universities, Ms Claudia Pérez Forniés; the Regional Minister for Environment and Tourism, Mr Manuel Blasco; the Director of CEFCA, Mr Javier Cenarro Lagunas; and the CEO of Caja Rural de Teruel, Mr David Gutiérrez Díez.

Pérez Forniés thanked the banking institution for its collaboration and highlighted that “bringing science and research carried out in Aragón closer to students is essential, so that they become aware of the work and talent within their own region and, in some way, see themselves reflected in it, helping to spark future STEAM vocations”. In this regard, she also stated that “we want students and teachers to take part in and enjoy everything that Galáctica has to offer, which is a great deal, as a unique and singular venue in Spain and Europe for the dissemination and practice of astronomy”.

According to the CEO of Caja Rural de Teruel, David Gutiérrez, “Galáctica is a global benchmark, and the best way to demonstrate this is by encouraging schools to promote visits”. Along these lines, the Director of CEFCA, Javier Cenarro, explained the aim that “schools in the province incorporate visits to Galáctica into their educational programmes, making use of the resources of a centre designed for audiences ranging from 10-year-old students to university level”. The Regional Minister for Environment and Tourism, Manuel Blasco, stated that “the science-and-leisure model is a success and that Galáctica plays a key role in energising the Gúdar-Javalambre region”.

The main objective of the agreement is to encourage teachers and students from the province of Teruel to discover the Galáctica Centre for the Dissemination and Practice of Astronomy, promoted by CEFCA, a facility that is unique in Europe for the outreach and hands-on practice of astronomy.

In this context, Galáctica’s museography features three characters aimed at younger visitors, allowing the content to be adapted so that they can make the most of their visit. These characters are Java, an intrepid and highly intelligent space traveller with special skills; Cosmos, her astrophysicist companion; and Photon, a particle of light and Galáctica’s flagship mascot.

About the Centro de Estudios de Física del Cosmos de Aragón (CEFCA) and Galáctica

During the last year, the centre received 11,912 visitors, of whom 3,446 were school students attending organised visits through their respective educational institutions. Galáctica is a facility that enables the development of astronomy practice and outreach programmes tailored to all levels: primary and secondary education, upper secondary education, university students, adult audiences and amateur astronomers.

Galáctica offers dedicated spaces for outreach activities, workshops, courses, student practical sessions and fieldwork carried out by visitors. The facilities include a network of nine domes for astronomical observation, each with its corresponding telescope control rooms and data analysis areas. Of these nine domes, three are dedicated to general-use semi-professional telescopes: a 15 cm aperture solar telescope (GTS) and, for night-time observations, an 80 cm primary mirror telescope (GT80), as well as the forthcoming 40 cm telescope resulting from the collaboration agreement between CEFCA and the Binaced-Valcarca City Council. The remaining six domes are equipped for the installation and use of visitors’ own telescopes and instrumentation.