A star to steer her by

Our speed over ground aboard Polaris reads 16kts. It’s midnight and the black, star-studded sky jigs around overhead. I’m tethered to the helm, watching our instruments like a hawk as I bear away to t

Imagine an early human out on the savannah, stepping away from the evening fire, glancing up at the dark sky and being totally captivated by the tiny, twinkling sparks dotted everywhere. Eyes wide, he

1 Sep 00:00 AEST (31 Aug, 14:00 UT) 15 Sep 23:00 AEST (13:00 UT) 30 Sep 22:00 AEST (12:00 UT) The chart accurately matches the sky on the dates and times shown for Sydney, Australia. The sky is differ

We were at latitude 71º north, in the Barents Sea off Norway, when we got our first “Wow!” moment. No geomagnetic storm had been predicted, but there, around the stars of Cassiopeia, a greenish curtai

NEVER STOP SAILING!

One summer’s evening in the days before internet weather forecasting, I was deeply involved in the after-race ‘do’ following a Solent Old Gaffers event. In the 1970s these regattas drew entrants large