When’s the last time you looked up at the night sky? RNLI fundraiser and amateur astronomer Simon Perks tells us how we can all wonder at the stars above

Simon Perks’s dad had a cool job at sea. As a boy, Simon was inspired by his father’s tales of astro-navigating round the world with the Merchant Navy. These days, GPS and satellites are the popular choice of navigators, but Simon’s dad’s stories got him addicted to stargazing. In his spare time, when he’s not promoting the RNLI with his Lego lifeboat crew (Twitter: @thelifeboatcrew) or fundraising at Portishead Lifeboat Station, Simon can often be found looking up at the night sky. He explains the appeal of astronomy: ‘It sounds clichéd but it is genuinely wonder. And I love learning about different things, like physics. There’s lots we know and lots we don’t – that’s what fascinates me.’ If astrophysics and Brian Cox aren’t your thing, you can still get a lot out of stargazing. Simon enthuses: ‘It’s a very easy hobby to get involved in. You don’t need anything to get started. The best way to look at a lot of things in the night sky, such as constellations or meteor showers, is with the naked eye.’ Like his dad before him, Simon sometimes uses the stars to navigate, something humans have been doing for thousands of years: ‘When out hiking, I use the sky to orient myself – from the Pole Star and various constellations.’

TIPS TO GET STARTED BE COMFORTABLE: You can get surprisingly cold keeping still for an hour or 2, so wear warm clothes. Use a chair or a sun lounger to keep your neck from hurting. Take a flask and some biscuits.
STAY SAFE: Be careful in the dark! If you’re on your own, don’t go anywhere too remote. Take friends or join your local astronomical society.
GET THE BEST VIEW: Go somewhere away from light pollution. The coast or a national park are ideal and your local park or the garden will do. Out on the water is a super place to stargaze with the naked eye, but not so good for keeping your binoculars or telescope steady!
TAKE YOUR TIME: Wait for at least an hour after sunset. Give your eyes time to adjust – this can take up to 40 minutes.
HELP IS AT HAND: There are loads of resources and websites to help you get started. Simon recommends Astronomy Now or BBC Sky at Night magazines, skymaps.com, popastro.com, stellarium.org.
FOR THE GADGET LOVER: You can pick up binoculars for around £50 (go for a pair of 10x50s if you can). A reasonable-sized telescope can cost around £150–200. Get some advice before you buy – members of your local astronomical society will help.
Words: Bethany Hope