ABOUT US

My name is Alessandro Marchetti, and together with my wife Antonella Tinarelli, I founded Astrophototour — a small, family-run astronomy experience based on the slopes of Mount Teide, Tenerife.

My passion for astronomy goes back to childhood. In 1995, I began volunteering at the observatory and planetarium of the Persicetani Astronomy Group, near Bologna, in northern Italy. From that moment on, astronomy became not just a passion, but a way of life — something I have shared with thousands of people over the past 25 years, through the eyepiece of a telescope, through astrophotography, and through scientific outreach.

In 2022, I received the title of Monitor Starlight, awarded by the Starlight Foundation — an organisation that has been defending the night sky as a heritage of humanity for nearly two decades. Being part of that family is something I’m genuinely proud of.

Over the years, light pollution across northern Italy and much of Europe has made it nearly impossible to observe the deep sky properly. That’s why I made the decision to move to Tenerife — one of the finest stargazing locations on the planet, protected by strict laws against light pollution. Here, I can continue doing what I started 25 years ago: bringing astronomy to people, sharing what I know, and never stopping learning.

But sharing the sky properly requires the right tools. That’s why I designed and built from scratch our 32-inch Dobsonian telescope — one of the largest visual telescopes used for public astronomy experiences in the Canary Islands. Every detail, from the mirror cell to the carbon fibre truss and the motorised transport system, was engineered to meet the demands of nightly professional use. You can read the full story of how the telescope was designed and built in our blog.

This telescope is the centrepiece of our Grand 32″ Scope Adventure, offering guests a view of galaxies, nebulae and star clusters that few people ever get to experience. But our offer doesn’t stop there. For those who prefer a more intimate experience under the stars, the Exclusive Starlight Experience is a private, personalised session designed for couples or small groups. The Night Vision Voyage is a completely different kind of adventure: it uses a telescope we personally modified by integrating a military-grade night vision system that not only amplifies visible light, but also converts infrared light into a visible image. The result is a breathtaking view of the sky that rivals the Grand 32″ Scope Adventure in sheer spectacle, revealing a hidden universe that no conventional telescope can show. And for photography enthusiasts, we offer both a Basic and an Advanced Photo Workshop, tailored to different levels of experience — from beginners taking their first steps in astrophotography to more experienced photographers looking to refine their technique.

Astrophototour is not a mass-tourism operation. It is an experience built around wonder, knowledge and human connection — small groups, genuine interaction, and explanations tailored to each person, whether they’re a curious beginner or a seasoned enthusiast. There is no greater reward than seeing someone press their eye to the eyepiece for the first time and lose themselves in the universe.