The fun of studying the night sky is getting to know it. Knowing what constellations and certain stars are called. Knowing how to find interesting objects like planets.

It takes about 15 minutes for your eyes to get used to the dark. If someone turns on a torch or light then this will destroy your night vision and you will have to start again. Red light does not have the same affect.

As well as sketching what you see you should take notes of location, weather and seeing conditions, date and time.

The best time to see stars is a clear winters evening. If you wrap up warm you will be comfortable and happy. A deckchair might come in handy.

When I was a kid I was taken to an observatory to see Halley's Comet. From where we were it was very faint even through the telescope. I was told that your best chance was not to look directly at it but slightly to one side. It works because the most sensitive part of the eye, the fovea, is most sensitive to colour. Your peripheral vision is better at seeing black and white.

If you have to close one eye when you look through a telescope this becomes uncomfortable after a short time. You could keep both eyes open (after a while you just "see" through the open eye) or you could wear an eye patch. With both eyes open you are much more relaxed and will see more.