Dating Ideas: Watch the Stars

Spending an evening in a quiet, secluded place beneath the beautiful night sky can be an incredible date idea: just the two of you, the night and countless billions of stars!

Watching the stars in the sky: a great and romantic date idea.Photo: Stefan Gillessen, Reinhard Genzel, Frank Eisenhauer

Choose your location carefully: you want to get as far as possible from cities and major roads because the light pollution will obscure your view of the stars. In the darkness you’ll see the constellations and countless of other smaller, feinter stars set against the eternal blackness of space. Take yourselves, a blanket and a torch and find a quiet field somwehere. If you live in a city, try and get a few miles out of town – the sky you’ll see is incomparably more beautiful than what you’ll see through the light pollution.

If you have a set of binoculars you’ll be able to see more details, and a star chart or astronomy guide might come in handy too. Depending on the temperature why not take a bottle of wine or a thermos of hot chocolate and some snacks. The best time for stargazing begins after twilight has ended, perhaps an hour or so after sunset.

It is perhaps a good idea to eat first, and use the bathroom before you head out – most fields are somewhat lacking in facilities! Bear in mind that with this date idea you’ll spend much of your time sat next together, as the temperature falls – so dress accordingly, and enjoy snuggling up together.

If you can, read up on the constellations and the mythology and stories behind them. Try this link for a brief introduction to two of the most prominent constellations in the night sky.

Or make the evening really special: Name a star for them and try and find it!