I’m not sure how well known he is globally, but in the UK he’s been an institution my whole life. This is one of the few passings that makes me sad even though I never met the person in question. A true individual, erudite and enthusiastic, he made astronomy thoroughly engaging.
Wasn’t sure of the choice of forum, but considering he’s claimed as the world’s longest-serving TV presenter, Cafe Society it is.
I’ve enjoyed The Sky at Night for as long as I can remember (also, Gamesmaster when that was on ), and I hope it continues. Sir Patrick was very obviously not well for the past few years .
I really wish I hadn’t read his autobiography a few years ago though. He had some, errr, robust views.
RIP Patrick-I read all his books as a kid-he turned me on to astronomy! I do recall he made some statements that were just plain wrong though-he was a critic (of the scientists who believed that Stonehenge was built with astronomical alignments). He stated that the “sun does not rise over the heelstone at the winter solstice”-it did. Still, he was a tireless popularizer of astronomy-probably a lot of kids became scientists because of him.
Wasn’t just as an old man, sadly. But I don’t want to weigh the bad things against the good things. His racism and misogyny are now gone, his inspiration of a few generations of astronomers and other scientists is a better, longer lasting legacy.
Sir Patrick will be sadly missed, in my mind he has looked and sounded the same since I was a child. Watching him always made me feel comforted, and reminded me of a time before life became so complicated!
I hadn’t heard of him before recently. I watched (maybe on Youtube?) his show. It seemed to take place in a closet or something and it was creepy as heck. It really was.
I’d only really heard of him about 6 years ago. “The Sky at Night” isn’t aired here, but the episodes I saw online were interesting in not being about generalities with overproduced graphics but more thrown-together chatting about whatever was going on right now.
I hope they keep the show going in the same spirit.
I know what you mean, but I think the “closet” was actually a room at his house, because he wasn’t very mobile in his later years.
I’ve always been fond of the show, but Patrick Moore himself, yes, maybe just a little bit creepy. About 0.4 Saviles, I’d say, on the SI scale of creepiness.
I’ve always wondered if they just keep the show going because no one could bring themselves to cancel it, since the budget appeared to be about £250 a month. But seriously, I hope they do keep it going. I usually watch it.
I think it was kind of different in the early days, before he got old and weird (but, by that time, had become an immovable institution). When it began, it was the very early days of British television, and the production was very basic. They never really bothered to update the format (or maybe he would not stand for any real changes).
I just happened to watch The Sky At Night the other day and I thought at the time he was looking as though he was clinging to life by a thread. Sad to see him go.
As an American I never once saw Patrick Moore on TV, or heard his voice. But I loved his Picture History of Astronomy as a child, and I think at one point I had almost memorized it. When I visited Greenwich, many years later, all I could think was, “It’s just like in Patrick Moore’s pictures!” I have no idea what he was like as a person, but he wrote cool books.
), and I hope it continues. Sir Patrick was very obviously not well for the past few years .