Sir Patrick Moore dies

[Ivo]

The country's most well-known astronomer and presenter of its longest-running television series has sadly passed away today...

Astronomer and broadcaster Sir Patrick Moore dies, aged 89

British astronomer and broadcaster Sir Patrick Moore has died, aged 89, his friends and colleagues have said.

He "passed away peacefully at 12:25 BST this afternoon" at his home in Selsey, West Sussex, they said in a statement.

Sir Patrick presented the BBC programme The Sky At Night for over 50 years, making him the longest-running host of the same television show ever.

He wrote dozens of books on astronomy and his research was used by the US and the Russians in their space programmes.

(Source = BBC)

I always try to watch The Sky at Night when it's on, so this is really sad news. He was devoted to his chosen task of opening up astronomy and indeed the entire Universe to us all and I am sure that a large number of astronomy enthusiasts owe their interest to Sir Patrick.

RIP Sir - the BBC won't be the same without you or your monocle...

 

[wintonian]

I know I have almost been expecting it for sometime but I am really quite upset about this.

I'm a bit of fan of the old BBC rather than the dumbed down rubbish that seems to pollute today.

 

[SS4]

I know I have almost been expecting it for sometime but I am really quite upset about this.

I'm a bit of fan of the old BBC rather than the dumbed down rubbish that seems to pollute today.

Agreed. He represented the BBC when it took science seriously

 

[wintonian]

Here is Sir Patrick disscussing the possibility of life on the moon and the likelihood of a manned space flight to the moon.

There more Sir Patrick in the collection here

I believe he was also an accomplished xylophone player.

 

[Class172]

Having just learned about his death on the local news, I am deeply saddened by the news (enough to make me shed a tear) as he was a truly brilliant and inspirational astronomer, having presented the Sky at Night for 55 years.

R.I.P :cry:

 

[SickyNicky]

Sir Patrick was the inspiration for a generation of amateur astronomers, including myself, and will be greatly missed. I think it's safe to say that his legacy will live on in a new generation of scientists and discoveries.

He was the honorary president of the Marches Astronomy Group, of which I am a member, and opened the new "Spaceguard Centre" in Knighton a few years ago, where we meet and share our passion for astronomy.

Rest in peace, Sir Patrick.

 

[Greenback]

Sad news, he helped inspire my interest in astronomy as a teenager.

 

[anthony263]

Very sad news and a great loss

 

[ATW Alex 101]

Very sad news

My dad used to watch him when he was younger in the late 50's and early 60's. I also used to watch sky at night when I could as astronomy is a particular subject I excel in.

A true legend sorely missed RIP

 

[dangie]

Walked my seven year old Grandaughter home at about five o'clock and said "See that star up there" she said "yes" I said "It's not a star it's the planet Jupiter". She said "WOW...."

Ok she may be too young to know the difference between stars and planets, but Patrick would have loved it.

Happy stargazing Big Man....

 

[Ivo]

Walked my seven year old Grandaughter home at about five o'clock and said "See that star up there" she said "yes" I said "It's not a star it's the planet Jupiter". She said "WOW...."

Ok she may be too young to know the difference between stars and planets, but Patrick would have loved it.

Happy stargazing Big Man....

This is one of those posts that makes you wish this forum had Like and/or Thank functions

 

[Bevan Price]

Very sad news indeed. I thought he looked a bit unwell / fragile in his last appearance on Sky At Night. I hope the programme continues, as a tribute to his memory.

 

[wintonian]

Very sad news indeed. I thought he looked a bit unwell / fragile in his last appearance on Sky At Night. I hope the programme continues, as a tribute to his memory.

Actually I'm not so sure, I'm rather concerned that it would suffer the dumbing down of some celeb who requires only vague appreciation for the subject and the ability to convey enthusiasm to use simpletons.

Unless a serious academic for instance, that has the ability to both educate the masses and inform the enthusiast without alienating or patronising either can be found, it might be better to do the decent thing and not diss trash the legacy.

 

[Bungle73]

Actually I'm not so sure, I'm rather concerned that it would suffer the dumbing down of some celeb who requires only vague appreciation for the subject and the ability to convey enthusiasm to use simpletons.

Unless a serious academic for instance, that has the ability to both educate the masses and inform the enthusiast without alienating or patronising either can be found, it might be better to do the decent thing and not diss trash the legacy.

*cough* Brian Cox *cough*

 

[wintonian]

*cough* Brian Cox *cough*

Hmm what about... what about..... Brian May? - long-standing friend of Moore and co-author of; Bang! : the complete history of the Universe along with Moore and Dr Chris Lintott who co-presented episodes of The Sky at night, who incidentally I reckon could also take over.

Edit: and here is May interviewing Moore.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Another iconic British figure has passed into the realms of history, but leaving fond memories of him and respect for the total number of years that he kept Astronomy to the fore in front of the televiewing public.

Whilst he has finally succumbed at a good age of life, I shall miss him. RIP, old friend.

 

[bnm]

I think it it most likely that Dr Chris Lintott will take over presenting duties. He's been co-presenting for some time now and has steadily built up his on screen time alongside Sir Patrick.

I doubt very much that either of the Dr Brians would take over presenting. Brian Cox is first and foremost a particle physicist, not an astronomer. And whilst Brian May is an astrophysicist and knows his stuff he would, I think, be unlikely to commit to a monthly TV appearance. He's a very busy man, with many irons in the fire (or should that be strings to his 'May Red Special'?)

Whatever happens on the presenting front I do hope the BBC continue to commission The Sky At Night long into the future. As Sir Patrick said, it's cheap to make. And at just 20 minutes, late at night, once a month, it's also not much of a headache to schedule.

A glowing tribute from his close friend Dr Brian May can be read here:
http://www.banguniverse.com/tribute-from-brian-may/

RIP Sir Patrick.

 

[Eagle]

Yes, he inspired many people. But what I think we all seem to be forgetting is that Moore was an extremely homophobic, misogynistic, xenophobic man who held and promoted many highly offensive, bordering on disgusting viewpoints. (And not ones that can be excused by simply saying 'he was old and eccentric'.)

The New Statesman ran a great piece on this today.

 

[wintonian]

Yes, he inspired many people. But what I think we all seem to be forgetting is that Moore was an extremely homophobic, misogynistic, xenophobic man who held and promoted many highly offensive, bordering on disgusting viewpoints. (And not ones that can be excused by simply saying 'he was old and eccentric'.)

The New Statesman ran a great piece on this today.

True and he was also the finance spokesperson for the Monster Raving Looney Party for a while.

I may not agree with his rather extreme traditional views but I respect his right to have them. It doesn't detract from my admiration for his broadcasting, scientific or publicatory achievements.

There are lots of people out there who I consider to nice friendly people but whose political views are the poler opposite of mine.

 

[Eagle]

I may not agree with his rather extreme traditional views but I respect his right to have them. It doesn't detract from my admiration for his broadcasting, scientific or publicatory achievements.

The freedom of speech police are probably going to jump on me, but I found his views so hideously bigoted (and in some cases downright baseless and incorrect—he was a member of the "AIDS is a gay disease" brigade, for instance), that I long since ceased to have any respect for him as a person.

However, as a broadcaster and science advocate, I reckon he was a pretty cool guy though. I'm amazed I can keep such conflicting opinions alive in my mind.

 

[Trog]

Yes, he inspired many people. But what I think we all seem to be forgetting is that Moore was an extremely homophobic, misogynistic, xenophobic man who held and promoted many highly offensive, bordering on disgusting viewpoints. (And not ones that can be excused by simply saying 'he was old and eccentric'.)

Better someone who is honest about what they believe, than someone who just says what they think people want to hear. At least you know where you stand, and that they are probably being honest when they say something you like.

 

[Eagle]

At least you know where you stand.

Yep. In my case as far away as possible from him. :P

 

[Bungle73]

It's odd. He held those views, and yet he was anti-capital punishment and anti-bloodsports. He was also very found of cats so he can't have been all bad.

 

[Eagle]

It's odd. He held those views, and yet he was anti-capital punishment and anti-bloodsports.

Oh, you're right, he was actually an angel all along. :roll: :P

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Some say he was like that just so people couldn't legitimately place him on the far right. I don't buy into that personally, some people can take various bits from all points of the political spectrum, or be quite firmly on one wing but have share some philosophies with the other.

He was always a massive animal fan though, once saying that a home without a cat is a home without a soul. I believe they were the only beings he ever lived with after his fiance was killed by a German bomb in WW2.

As others have said though, really sad to hear this, he brought such a fascinating subject to millions and was a brilliant genius of a man.

 

[Trog]

He was also very found of cats so he can't have been all bad.

That is worrying cats are evil little bu**ers, and there is something obscene about the way thay go round waving their a**es in the air.

 

[michael769]

You would do the same if you thought your behind was as goodas a cat thinks theirs is!

 

[wintonian]

I want to know why David Beckham has an entry in the Oxford Dictionary of English but Patrick Moore hasn't?

Is it because he went to Cambridge I wonder? I can't believe that academics would write a dictionary of all things without adhering to the principles of neutrality. But yet Stephen Hawking is in there :? :-x

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I saw the tribute programme to him late last night on the television. Brian May was featured and spoke very highly of him, as they had been acquaintances for a good number of years.

 

[bnm]

I've had the pleasure of chatting with Brian May on a number of occasions, both in person and via e-mail. I, like many of my peers, only initially knew of him as the curly haired guitarist in Queen, but I've become fascinated by his other interests because of his obvious passion for the subjects.

Recently I went to an exhibition at the Royal West of England Academy of his work in the field of stereoscopic (3D) photography (check out http://www.londonstereo.com/). He's taken many astronomy 3D images and at the opening of this recent exhibition he talked at length about how his passion in astronomy was ignited by Sir Patrick Moore.

Like Sir Patrick Moore, Brian May is a true polymath and is able to enthuse his audiences on a diverse range of subjects.
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I want to know why David Beckham has an entry in the Oxford Dictionary of English but Patrick Moore hasn't?

Is it because he went to Cambridge I wonder?

Sir Patrick never went to Cambridge. He turned down a grant to study there saying he wished "to stand on my own two feet."