December 18, 2006

BBC's 'The Sky at Night' is 50. The longest-running show on the beeb, presented by the fantastic Patrick Moore reaches its 650th show.

Sir Patrick is a true British eccentric. A self-taught astronomer and ace cricketer, he is almost as famous for playing the xylophone and loving his cats as he is for star-gazing. Despite getting on a bit now, he's still as popular as ever with the young 'uns. I loves him!

posted by kitfisto 18 years ago
  • The man's a hero. The show is fantastic as well, but I never seem to catch it. Is it on regularly? Here's a great site for amateur astronomers. Tell it where you are, and it shows you maps, charts, graphs and predictions for Iridium flares, and where the Pioneer and Voyager craft are now. What's the Sky at Night music?
  • A hero indeed. What commitment!
  • This was one of those great shows which could draw in a resolute non-scientist like me as a kid. I was disappointed to later learn something of Moore's dodgy political views, but stupid as they are it doesn't take away from his contributions to the public good, so congrats, you old loon you.
  • Yeah, nobody's perfect!
  • Gawrsh! I thought monocles were extinct!
  • My dad wears one to this day
  • Glorious! And I suppose monocles would make sense, staring through telescopes all day. Night.
  • Kit - is your father vaguely peanut-shaped? I think I might have seen him.
  • The show is fantastic as well, but I never seem to catch it. Is it on regularly? Lots of previous shows to be watched via that second link. I'm looking forward to them.
  • I think Patrick Moore only started wearing a monocle about twenty years ago. Back in 1957 he looked like this...
  • He is, and he wears a topper. He has one dodgy eye and hates specks, so went for the monocle.
  • So is he like the Carl Sagan of Englandtown? I loved Carl Sagan (RIP). p.s. I think I have a crush on your dad.
  • He claims to have started wearing a monocle aged 16 in that interview at b3ta.com. Precocious fuddy-duddyness, and another point to the man.
  • Young fogey, though not any more if you see what I mean.
  • He wrote several books under pseudonyms satirising early "UFO contactees". To this day, some dodgy UFO books still list his made up characters as real personages. E.G. Cedric Allingham. Other amusing japes of Mr. Moore are noted in the rather unloved but useful tome Directory of Discarded Ideas by John Grant. I often use one of Moore's clever pseudonyms listed therein: Professor Egon Spunraas.