Seeing in a new light

It's National Astronomy Week this month, so take a tip from Mark Westmoquette and let mindful stargazing change your perspective on your life and problems

- Mark Westmoquette

Back in 2008, when I was working as a professional astronomer, I was granted two nights on a big telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. I remember arriving at the summit of the volcano at dusk, very excited about this incredible opportunity. I went into the brightly lit telescope control room, plugged in my laptop and started preparing for the night of taking data. When it was dawn, I emerged into the sunrise, bleary eyed and ready for dinner... or was it breakfast? It was only years later that I realised I'd been to the summit of Mauna Kea and I hadn't looked up at the night sky with my eyes even once. I now see this lamentable situation was representative of a deeper state of mental difficulty that had crept up on me like a long, slow sunset.