I was very fortunate to grow up in Bulawayo, in the British Colony of Southern Rhodesia.

At about age 12 I bought a book containing monthly star maps of the night sky as seen from the southern hemisphere.

I still have the book.

On crisp moonless nights I used to put a canvas covered chair in the garden and sit there with my star book reading it with a torch.

The mass of stars was astonishing.

The number of stars seemed to grow as I sat there!

I was smitten.

For life.

The Southern Cross, the Pleiades and Orion all became lifelong friends.

These memories will be with me forever.