Sky at Night last night

[casemonster]

Hi all,

Did the Moore marathon got 41 out of 55 and sent my observations in to the show. These had to be in early to make the programme so at that stage only had 32.

Anyway, watched the prog last night and to my surprise (and delight) had two of my observations read out , one about Cancri and it's obiting planets, the other the double cluster but mainly due to neighbours super-nova security lighting comment which prompted a good Jon Culshaw Impression of Sir Patrick.

Being fairly new to astronomy, this was really good for me and I was pleased to see they do read them!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed doing the marathon and may do it again next year where I will not spend so much time starhopping as I'll know where most of objects are. I think a lot of the fun is hunting the objects down....

Chris P

[andrew63]

Good stuff, and good hunting!

andrew

[ronin]

Saw the programme as well, looked up the list from the BBC and the list does not seem to be in "numerical" order. Useful list as it specifies the difficulty and suggest instrument to use.

Was it just me or was the programme a bit odd?

SPM seemed to be left out of a lot of it.

[Cjg]

Congrats, that's a great result. Thoroughly enjoyed the programme too.

May try to track down more of the 55 when (if) the skies clear.

[casemonster]

Ronin,

To be fair to Sir Patrick, at 90 I think he is happy to be a figurehead of the programme. The newer hosts Chris Paul and the other one (whose name escapes me) are the "newer faces" of the programme and so Sir Patrick sort of sits there in wonderment as the vast array of pithy and fun banter takes place. He tried his best and I think they all tried to include him. I did expect one of them to turn to him and ask him "would you like a cup of tea?" , bit like you would say to someone in an old folks home.

I watched Sir Patrick in the early eighties when the programme was much more serious, but then girls motorbikes and alcohol took over my interest, but SPM is still a hero!!

Chris P

[Macavity]

Was it just me or was the programme a bit odd? SPM seemed to be left out of a lot of it.

No Jeermans (Germans) at the border? No "controversy" re. an SPM (astro-object) LIST?

It all went rather well, I thought? [teasing]

A bunch of, (laudably) slightly-awkward, blokes performing to camera?

Reflecting a typical gathering of (fairly sober) astronomers? Heheh.

There by the grace of God - Sorry, "secular... whatever", go I?

Still a (BBC) media-person's concept of "scientists"?

Or closer to the truth than we might have hoped...

[ronin]

Chris, like you I have watched S@N for many years, just last night there seemed to be a pretty significant change. One that was not present in previous editions of the programme - even just the previous months transmission.

Maybe just a bad night for SPM and so they reduced his presence in front of the camera. Did notice that they were all well packed in to a small area.

Noticed that he said he started observing at 7 yrs old 83 years ago. Bet he had a lot less light pollution then.

Have to see if I can manage to watch the transnission that is on BBC3 or BBC4 earlier in the evenings.

[Black Knight]

I quite enjoyed the show, it seemed like quite a lot of fun to me. I haven't completed my marathon yet, but I would like to - if the weather ever clears!

Sent from my mobile using Tapatalk, so please excuse the speeling and granma!

[x6gas]

Hi all,

Did the Moore marathon got 41 out of 55 and sent my observations in to the show. These had to be in early to make the programme so at that stage only had 32.

Anyway, watched the prog last night and to my surprise (and delight) had two of my observations read out , one about Cancri and it's obiting planets, the other the double cluster but mainly due to neighbours super-nova security lighting comment which prompted a good Jon Culshaw Impression of Sir Patrick.

Being fairly new to astronomy, this was really good for me and I was pleased to see they do read them!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed doing the marathon and may do it again next year where I will not spend so much time starhopping as I'll know where most of objects are. I think a lot of the fun is hunting the objects down....

Chris P

Well done you - that's fantastic!

Haven't seen this month's show yet but perhaps the commensts regarding SPM reflect that the beeb are planning for the day when he can no longer manage the programme. As far as astronomy goes the man's a legend but he can't go on forever and it must be a strain given that his health is not that great.

[M4lcs67]

Shame. I would have like to have done the Moore Marathon, but the utterly lousy weather we have had recently has put the skids on me getting outside with my scope. It has been weeks.

[SmokeyJoe]

Never owned a scope but have had huge, life long, interest in Astronomy / Cosmology for which I can never thank SPM enough. I remember watching The Sky at Night when I was a child in the seventies (as well as Cosmos, and those early morning OU progs).

As for the newer format, As newbie to star hopping etc. I find the 'bit in the garden' explaining how to find things very useful/interesting. Good show, much of interest for any level.

SPM is getting along a bit (I may not seem like it but it is hard work making a TV programme), It is a measure of the man that the BBC have not 'dumped him for a younger model' (remember the countryfile controversy).

It is amazing to think how much our view of the cosmos has changed since SPM first looked through a telescope. He's quite happy to disagree with accepted opinion both on TV and in his books, which is refreshing.

In short thanks SPM for pointing out the beauty of the stars and keeping me interested for the last 30 years or so, you are a gentleman and a scholar sir!

[Helen]

Well done Chris! that must be a great feeling

Helen

[Paulus17]

Well done Chris:icon_salut: i also watched it last night for the first time since i was a nipper,though i think i did catch some of it when Brian May (Queens guitarist)was on there???

I was also wondering if any of the people mentioned taking part in the 50 was from the forum.

I thought it was good with JC adding some fun to it and taking some of the seriousness out of it all,whether his other co presenters felt the same i'm not so sure??

I also enjoyed when he was out in the field with that club.

But it was also really sad to see SPM looking so frail.But what a trooper:icon_salut:

[Islander]

Patrick Moore is a remarkable man - his moon observations alone have contributed a huge amount to the knowledge we have today. I used to write to him on a semi-regular basis in my youth and he always took the time to answer each letter personally and to encourage me to pursue astronomy as a hobby. When he found out that we used to holiday on the south coast (amazing dark skies there at the time) he invited me to visit him. He's a long standing hero of mine and a thoroughly nice person.

[casemonster]

Thanks folks, was quite a surprise to hear not one but two mentions, the wife nearly fell off the sofa!!!

Even had some fun with the kids this morning playing it back all nonchalantly as if I didn't know.

Personally, I am so pleased that they keep SPM on. It wouldn't be the same without him but agree that there must come a time when even he must call it a day. I have to admit in having to rewind occassionally to understand what he says..I saw the episode where he was representing Tycho and they dressed him in a Hawaiin shirt and stuck a foil nose on him. I do hope he was up for all this as it shows the measure of a man of his standing!! I wouldn't change it though! Would love to shake him by the hand and tell him what his time has meant to us all, but I am guessing that I would have to join a very long que.

Islander, did you take him up on his invite?? I have to say in my earlier years I found him a bit intimidating on the telly!

As far as the show goes, I am happy with the way it is going but it is a little awkward at times. If they tried to oust him against his will I believe they would see a backlash far beyond the scale of Countryfile.

Hang on a minute... the sky just cleared, going out to get my new scope out ( with a rain cover) to cool down..

Cheers

Chris

[Islander]

Yes, I did. My Dad took me across to visit. Afternoon tea, a tour of the telescopes and a very interesting chat.

[casemonster]

Islander,

What a fantastic time you must have had. Shame you couldn't stay for the evening and have a tour of the sky as well.

I watched the recent episode on amateur astronomy and it's role in this enlightened age of Hubble, Chandra, Planck etc. My big regret is that I didn't stick with it and I should have got myself a proper scope at 17 (1981) There was so much more to be added to the field by the amateur at that time. Now I feel with a small to medium scope we are only looking at things that others have already seen....Doesn't make astronomy any less fascinating...I plotted Jupiters moons over a clear 10 night period of late March, but I think Gallileo got there first with that one!!

[Hanuman]

I always seem to miss it when it's on. Anybody know why the latest episode isn't on iPlayer?

[Quatermass]

Well done Chris. I watched the programme and it made me chuckle to hear the lady say she did rather better then Paul who only got 5 I think, Dear old Patrick such a lovely chap it must be hard to keep going at his age now but he has my utmost respect a legend of his time.

[casemonster]

I always seem to miss it when it's on. Anybody know why the latest episode isn't on iPlayer?

Because a few friends expressed an interest in hearing my reports, ...It is repeated again 12:00pm this Sataurday afternoon BBC2

Enjoy!