Lockdown Mental Health: The Night Sky

Tuesday night I had the unexpected joy of going into the back garden at about 10.30pm to find that it was an exceptionally clear night. The sky was littered with stars, and you could even see a couple of constellations and shooting stars. It’s strange but I still get a sense of unbridled joy at gazing at the night sky and there’s something so therapeutic about standing outside in the dark, watching the stars twinkle. With the mixture of cloudy skies and streetlights it’s been a while since I’ve seen the sky as alive as it was on Tuesday night.

It reminded me of a couple of things. The first being when I was little and my Grandad used to get out his telescope so my brother and I could look through at the stars and planets. We’d take it in turns and he’d point out what we were looking at and we’d marvel out how amazing it was that we could see something so far away. The second reminded me of university. There was a part of campus where the lighting was so dim you could see the night sky perfectly. Sometimes I’d walk the route listening to music, other times to nothing at all, but I always felt a sense of calm wash over me, the perfect wind down after a long day.

It might just be me, but if you get the chance and are lucky enough to find a clear night with very little lighting around, take a moment to look up at the stars. Stargazing might just be the thing you need during lockdown.