The Saturday Miscellany: How to star gaze; James Cheshire's bookshelf; NOMOS Glashütte

How to: Star gaze

By Oscar Quine

Rosetta set the world's sights skywards. No need to lower your gaze, says Dr Edward Bloomer, Astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich.

"A telescope is ideal, but you don't need one to begin with. A pair of binoculars will allow you to see objects too faint for your naked eyes. Mount them on a camera tripod to keep them steady, and avoid losing where in the sky you were looking."

"Get as far from artificial lights as you can, and allow your eyes time to adjust to the lower light levels. After 20 minutes, your eyes will be much more sensitive – you may be surprised at how much more you can see."

"A planisphere will help you recognise stars visible from your location."

The Astronomy Photographer of the Year show runs until February; rmg.co.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/astronomy-photographer-of-the-year

Rotating column: Maketh the man

By Josh Worth

Ah, marmalade. Beloved of dads everywhere, the pinnacle to which all breakfasts should aspire. To smear a spoonful of bitter, orangey gloop on your toast and tell yourself, "Yes, this is tastier than Coco Pops," is, truly, to become at last a man.

The bread and spread hierarchy goes thusly: soft white Hovis and strawberry jam to begin with. In time, children may graduate to more exotic flavourings, like blueberry or raspberry. Bread options will widen – brown, wholemeal – seeded varieties may creep in. But marmalade will remain the preserve of the grown-ups*. Adolescents may believe that plain butter is the mark of sophistication, but this is nonsense.

If you can take quality Seville marmalade, spread it on a crusty seeded loaf, and genuinely enjoy it, you have reached the summit of breakfast mountain. Congratulations.

*And anthropomorphised bears, of course.

Instant Ethics

By Ellen E Jones

Dear Ellen

Q. Is it ever permissible to answer your phone while in a lavatory?

A. Not only permissible but, sometimes, preferable. Next time you have a high-pressure business call to make, try taking your handset to the smallest room in the house. You'll immediately feel more confident and relaxed. (A FaceTime call might be pushing it.)

@MsEllenEJones

Micro extract: Eat fit

"A Shoku-Iku way of eating is to create a few dishes – not just one – to place on the table and share. Even at breakfast, my mother will always have a wide selection of foods: an oil-free omelette, spinach and nori salad, miso soup, fruit."

From 'Shoku-iku' by Makiko Sano (Quadrille, £14.99)

Four play: Overshadowed brothers

1. David Knopfler *

2. Dean Waugh

3. Paul Gallagher

4. John Attenborough

*born today in 1952

All Good Things

By Charlotte Philby

Time well spent

Count down to the New Year with 'Metro', the latest model from watchmakers NOMOS Glashütte (above). Described by the German Design Council as "youthful and cosmopolitan, elegant and straightforward". £2,390; nomos-store.com

In the bag

Baggu make the best bags known to (wo)man, and this new rectangular soft leather clutch (above) is no exception. Comes in various shades – the poppy red is a winner. £49; redrubyrouge.com

Iron clad

Published next month, 'Window-Shopping Through the Iron Curtain' by David Hlynsky is a photographic study of 1980s shop-window displays in the Soviet Eastern Bloc, with accompanying essay. £14.95; thameshudson.co.uk