h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A H2G2 link that might be worth checking out is the observatory run by Jimi X at http://www.h2g2.com/A222913

Shame I live in a big city so seeing the brighter stars is all I get

*blushes*

Thanks for the link!

All you need to do is pack the car and head out to the country some evening. I drove 45 minutes from my reasonably dark skies into pitch darkness to see Halley's Comet in the late 80s (was it 86?).

Anyway, going to a dark sky site is a particularly good idea on the night of a big meteor shower. You can take some beers, mellow music and some friends and even if they're not into astronomy, they'll enjoy watching bits of cosmic dirt being vaporized in the atmosphere.

Well someone had to point out the obvious

If I had a car I would be able to go and find a dark sky.

I remember being on an overnight cross channel ferry when Hale-Bopp was around, magnificent, even if it was only with the naked eye.

The idea of getting out for a metor shower is one I'll try for when the next big one comes round (assuming there's no cloud or anything like that).

You've got to keep an eye on the moon phase as well. A bright moon will wash out faint meteors. But it's the big fireballs that go through the atmosphere making a crackling and poping noise that are the most sexy anyway!