Lincolnshire astronomer Paul Money is seeing stars… and so are his 150 annual audiences as the now professional stargazer prepares, this month, to travel internationally to witness one of the world’s most impressive astronomical sights

Our meeting with Lincolnshire’s most knowledgeable astronomer took place in mid-December whereupon internationally renowned expert in all things cosmological Paul Money taught us the foremost golden rule of stargazing: dress warm!

Arriving just as the sun set we ventured into Paul’s Horncastle home for a cup of tea and to discuss the astronomer’s 26 year career, but not before a quick demonstration in the fading light of Paul’s three telescopes.

Paul enjoyed his interest as a hobby for many years but turned professional as his knowledge grew, scarcely noticing that he had turned into one of the UK’s most knowledgeable astronomers in certain specialist fields and embarking upon a career as a writer and publisher on the subject. This month Paul will again travel internationally to serve as a guide on a trip to view the Northern Lights in Norway, and will complete his forthcoming book on the 110 Messier objects – notable astronomical phenomena first studied by the French astronomer Charles Messier in the 1770s. In addition, Paul will continue to write and commission reviews from his Lincolnshire home for the BBC’s The Sky At Night magazine, the UK’s foremost astronomical journal.

Born in the West Midlands, Paul moved to his father’s native Lincolnshire as a baby - serendipity considering his future vocation; “Lincolnshire has some of the best skies in the country, short of being in the Scottish Highlands it’s the best place in the UK for astronomy.” He says.

Paul’s interest began with the purchase of his first telescope at the age of 18. His self-teaching only went so far and after six months or so, Paul and a friend attended the Boston Astronomical Association to hear a lecture on the subject of Mars held at the town’s Fydell House.

 “The group was really approachable.” He says. “One of my early successes was with a really crude telescope, but somehow I managed to obtain a clear image of Saturn, the other members took an interest