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

So I was sat in my sisters car waiting for her to return after dropping off one of the small ones friends. I decided to wind the window down and take a look around after all we were in a small village out in the deep dark country. It certainly was dark with no moon as that was new and the number of stars visible just by looking was fantastic. I tried locating some that I knew, first there was Cassiopia, then Perseus and Andromeda leading to Pegasus. Taurus and the seven sisters were clearly visible and was the dim fuzzy patch the Andromeda Galaxy? Looking round further I realised that yes I could easily see the line of the milky way running across the sky.
Then as my sister arrived back at the car we were all off to continue with the things that needed doing.

I saw that last night as well - first time I've seen it from Ireland as there's normally too much cloud. What was really odd was that there was some awards ceremony or something going on in the city centre and there was this air raid style search light sweeping the same area of the sky.