'One of the most common questions I get asked is: "what's the strangest thing you've seen?"' Says Jack McGrath, the amateur astronomer who sets up outside Abbotsford's Retreat Hotel most clear nights. I tell them: 'whatever falls out of that front door', pointing to the pub.

'I believe the Universe is peppered with life, but until I have a close encounter of my own kind, I'll just keep struggling away out the front there'.

Apparently, sky is in short supply in high-density Abbotsford. Jack and his telescope were forced onto the footpath to gain an unobtructed view of Saturn, Jupiter and star clusters. With an extension lead running through his front window out to the front of his house to power his telescope and computer, Jack gradually began to show passersby (many from the neighbouring pub) the view through his 'scope and to explain the southern sky.

'I used to get around 15 or 20 people a night, now I get between 40 and 50', says Jack. I'm building a second telescope to keep up. I started it in 2003, and now just need to polish the mirror.'

The next clear night, head down to Abbotsford and ask Jack to show you the stars. He does it for the love. He's usually there around sunset for at least a few hours, and has been for getting onto two years now.