About Us
Night Skies Tenerife. We offer a range of exciting and fun ways to explore our Universe from the mountains of Tenerife’s Teide National Park.
History
5 Years of History
How We Got Started
I would say my grandfather taking me out into his back garden in UK and sitting me down with a pair of binoculars to show me all sorts of celestial objects was the start of this company. He had absolutely no idea what he was showing me but was enough to get me interested.
When I grew older my passion for Greek and Egyptian mythology flowed and with obvious links to the stars, I started to research the mythology and science behind the stories and the stars. When we moved to Tenerife in 2014, I knew how good it was here for the night skies. The third best place in the world and not wanting to live in Chile and not able to afford Hawaii we knew we were in the right place.
I studied Astrophysics and cosmology for 3 years with the ANU whilst first here in Tenerife and I would go up Teide most nights and eventually people were asking me if they could come. From there I could see the potential in running some sort of a tour for showing the nigh skies that people rarely get to see from home.
Our Founders
I (Kieran) started the company after dabbling in a few ideas of how it should be run and came up with our winning formular.
In 2022 we took the company to the next level and formed a limited company and gained a new partner in my old friend John Dewar. John is a compliance officer and accountant in the UK for a celebrity chef and has been a close family friend for many years. With Johns Guidance and advice, we hope to help the company grow even further in the future.
Our First Tour
Our first tour was me in my car and a few friends that were here on holiday. We went up with no telescope at the time and I was just able to point out with my laser some of the constellations and show the signs of the Zodiac.
It soon became clear how much potential there was for the tour though, so I purchased my first Telescope here and brought 2 Ford Transit Vans for transport. I took on Craig who I knew had a real passion for the stars as well and was keen to learn more. As a bonus Craig was a keen amateur photographer and I could see that would be a big bonus for the tour.
The idea of me doing science and Craig doing humour really seemed to work well, even to the point that we had a review once calling us the ANT and DEC of stargazing, which had us in stiches!
We have grown since the beginning when I would even take 1 person some nights as I just love what we do. Changes in transport laws and an ever-growing customer base, meant that we had to adapt our transport to our 30-seater bus. We now have 6 employees of which 4 are guides or training telescope technicians.
50,000+ Visitors
We have taken over 50,000 people to see the wonders of Tenerife’s night skies in the last five years and we hope to take many more in the years to come.
I love seeing people enjoy the stary skies and even more so love to hear them say WOW! When they are looking through our Telescopes!
Don’t take my word for it how good it is check us out on TripAdvisor!
I hope to see you soon, thanks for reading, Kieran Mynott x
TEAM
Kieran Mynott
Owner, Started Company in 2017
I have always had a passion with the Stars thanks to my Grandad, who used to sit me in a deck chair in his garden as young boy and show me all sorts of celestial objects with his binoculars. He had no idea what he was looking at but it was enough to get me interested!
When I moved to Tenerife I knew how good it was for the stargazing, but I wanted to extend my scientific knowledge and to that end studied Astro Physics and Cosmology for three years with the ANU as a blurb learning course. Not to PHD level I hasten to add my maths is not good enough for that. I love talking about the stars and debating the science behind the universe secrets. I also love how, as humans, we have looked up over the small time we have been on this planet and turned the stars into more than just balls of burning gas in space. We have given them names, constellations and stories and have brought the Night Skies to life.
Craig Wagstaff
Team member since July 2018
I’m craig, 50, years old and, stargazing has been a hobby of mine since the age of 9.
After watching the original clash of the titan’s movie back in 1981 and seeing how Perseus, Andromeda and Pegasus were immortalised in the stars.
Why do I Love the night sky? No doubt there are many reasons, but I think interest in a clear night sky is deeply rooted in humans. On our tours, I see people of all kinds. The only common feature is that they’re enjoying the sky.
Personally, trying to work out the outlines of the constellations from the visible stars is something I love to do.
Hans Duswald
Team Member since 2020
Since I started to work with Kieran & Night Skies Tenerife, the sky has never stopped amazing me. The night sky makes me feel like a child again understanding we do not know it all and there is so much to wonder and marvel about.
I also love to be the one who throws the challenging questions at the so-called facts of science and get the debate raging!
Lee McManus
Team Member since 2021
I never thought I’d be interested in stargazing until Kieran asked me to help and I’ve never looked back. It amazes me just how much you can see when you are up the mountain and makes me feel so small and insignificant whilst looking at our galaxy.
I wanted Kieran to put the title of Skivvy on here, but he decided that the hours of training me on the scopes and about the night sky in general I deserved a better title!
John Millar
Team member since 2021
I’m the token Scotsman of the team, only recruited because I’m used to the cold!
My love of the night sky is largely due to Kieran. I went on the trip as a reluctant customer as my wife wanted to go with friends of hers. I went along and absolutely loved it!!
Now I get to go almost every night, meet so many interesting people, learn so much from Kieran and the rest of the team and see how every night is different. Amazing, I just love it!!
Roland Leykauf
Team member since 2023
Even as a teenager I was fascinated by the vastness and diversity of space, but I was never able to pursue this enthusiasm until I joined the NIGHT SKIES TENERIFE team. Now that I’m in my old age, the opportunity has arisen with Kieran to indulge in the third best stargazing spot in the world.
Every evening, the magnificence and immeasurable distances show me the nothingness of human existence and the self-consciousness of people in their own little worlds.
Again and again, I’m asked how can you understand it, I don’t think you can “understand” it, you can only marvel at it. Especially when you see the scientific facts as I think they should be seen, as man’s ever-renewing attempt to explain his environment.
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Be amazed and look in wonder at the majesty of the Night Sky and using high powered lasers and Telescopes get the closest look at our Universe on offer, all with a bit of science and humor from our expert guides.