May Skylights with Kieran Mynott

In May, as the seasons transition from winter to summer, Tenerife offers optimal stargazing conditions, with the greatest number of stars visible in the night sky. The Great Globular Cluster of Hercules, also known as Messier 13 (M13), is one of the most spectacular globular star clusters visible in the crystal clear May night skies of Tenerife.

Whether you're an experienced astronomer, a casual stargazer or just looking for things to do in Tenerife, you’ll not want to leave without experiencing a Night Skies Tenerife Teide National Park Stargazing & Sunset Tour. 

With The Eyes...

Signs of the Zodiac, shooting stars!

Through the scopes...

The Great Globular Cluster of Hercules (Messier 13)

The Great Globular Cluster in Hercules, also known as Messier 13 (M13) or NGC 6205, is a prominent globular cluster located in the constellation Hercules. It's one of the brightest and most easily visible globular clusters from the Northern Hemisphere. M13 contains over 100,000 stars and is a popular target for amateur astronomers. 

Beehive Cluster

The Beehive Cluster, also known as Messier 44 (M44) or Praesepe, is an open star cluster in the constellation Cancer. It's one of the nearest open clusters to Earth and one of the brightest in the night sky, making it ideal for wide-field astrophotography. Containing hundreds of star it makes for a beautiful, glittering image.

Jupiter

Jupiter is the largest planet in our galaxy, known for its prominent bands of clouds, massive storms like the Great Red Spot, and its many moons, including the largest ones called the Galilean moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.

Observing Jupiter from Tenerife can provide exceptional views due to the island's clear skies and low light pollution.

Sirius Star

Sirius, also known as the Dog Star, is the brightest star in the night sky and part of the constellation Canis Major (the Greater Dog).

Because Sirius is so bright, it often twinkles with flashes of blue, white, red, and green when near the horizon—this is due to Earth's atmosphere distorting the light. It is currently moving toward us and will appear slightly brighter over the next 60,000 years before it starts moving away again.

M81 & M82

M81 (Bode’s Galaxy) and M82 (Cigar Galaxy) are one of the most iconic galaxy duos in the night sky. They’re both located in Ursa Major, only about 38 arcminutes apart, making them a perfect pair to capture in a single frame. The two galaxies are gravitationally bound and will eventually join as one in our solar system

The Moon Phases

New Moon

27th April - The moon will be completely dark and not visible from Earth.

First Quarter

4th May - The right half of the moon will be illuminated, providing good viewing conditions.

Full Moon

12th May - The entire face of the moon will be illuminated, making it bright and prominent in the night sky.

Last Quarter

20th May - The left half of the moon will be illuminated as it transitions back to a new moon.