Epilogue

I CAN REMEMBER when I was just ten years old and my father took me to our local astronomical society. Today, nearly thirty years on, I can vividly recall that evening and my first view of Saturn against the inky black depths of space, which still sends a shiver down my spine. It was a sight that ignited a fire deep inside me and a passion for the Universe which is as strong now as it was all those years ago.

Joining my local astronomical society at that stage in my life was, unbeknown to me at the time, a real turning point and one that carefully nurtured my childlike enthusiasm for all things ‘space’. I still have that boyish wonder for the Universe, and these days it is encouraged by a desire to learn about its innermost secrets. It is that knowledge, experience and passion that I hope I have captured and shared with you in this book.

When I was approached to write my guide to the Cosmos after the first series of Stargazing LIVE, it was clear that it needed to be different from anything else available. By joining together current theories of the Universe with monthly sky guides even the most novice of sky watchers can grasp the concepts of modern astrophysics. This, along with a new approach to sky guides that makes them relevant to anyone, no matter where you are in the world, means this truly is a book to be enjoyed by everyone.

In the first few pages, I shared with you my Six Top Stargazing Tips and it is these that I would urge you to go back to and look at again, for they will guide you further on your journey of discovery. In particular, I would encourage you to go along to your local astronomical society and join in their events, for the night sky is much more rewarding when shared with friends. Whatever you do and whichever path you take in your continued exploration of the Universe, keep looking up. Keep checking back to my monthly guides so that you can learn your way around the sky gradually. Becoming proficient will take time, so don’t expect to remember everything straight away, but stick with it and you will soon be showing others the glorious sights in the night sky.

The relevance of this book to a global audience mirrors the accessibility of the sky, which can be appreciated by us all. Even young children seem captivated by the magic of space and I was very proud to be able to include images taken by schools around the world to illustrate some of the finest objects in the sky. I must thank the team at the Faulkes Telescope Project and Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network who arranged and helped with this.

I hope you have had fun on this journey through the Universe with me. In my opinion the night sky is one of the most incredible aspects of the natural world and can be easily observed and enjoyed by everyone. Whatever you want to get out of astronomy, either as a casual stargazer or an advanced amateur astronomer, I hope I have been able to ignite a little spark that will continue to grow inside you for many years to come.