Sir Patrick Moore's final episode of Sky at Night.....

[GrahamJ]

Cheers

[Connect2space]

Wish I could watch this but I have school tomorrow, I dont have BBC 4 for some reason and BBC Iplayer is as slow as a snail... Damn, but back on topic I hope this wont be the last ever, nothing to replace it.

[Scosmico]

I arrived in UK 10 years ago, coming from Brazil, where I could enjoy clear nights for months in a row. I was amazed to see so many people sharing my love with astronomy despite so few clear nights in comparison. With time I came to understand that Patrick played a major role inspiring people to look up. I am definitely much less fussy Amateur astronomer than I was when I first arrived at this shores. I consider Patrick an Astronomy Hero.

[notaclue]

I'll only cry if they put Jeremy Kyle in charge

If they did I would be heading to the BBC with a baseball bat and a mars bar.

The mars bar would not last the journey.

[TonyD]

How poignant. After wishing us a Happy New Year, Sir Patrick goes on to ask i"Have you had a new telescope for Christmas?"

Yes.

My first telescope.

Very, very moving.

- Tony

[notaclue]

My brother bought a Celestron 5" today with German mount. And as the lates episode is on the recorded list on the V+ box, we shall watch it again to get pointers. So not only a newscope but the information from that episode is still going to help as the series and Sir Patrick always has.

[studdedsole]

I've only just caught up with this episode - thought the end was magical showing a number of clips over the years of the great man and those immortal words "..for now it's goodnight"

brought a big lump to the throat, well done the beeb for a wholly appropriate end to a great era

[x6gas]

What a fantastic final episode for the great man. Epitomized what the whole programme is about for me.

I understand that the Sky at Night has the highest viewer per £ ratio of any programme in Europe so hopefully the BBC bean-counters will realize what fantastic value the programme is. The current line-up of presenters is well tested and gel together really well so they don't have to change anything very much... I'm optimistic that they'll do the right thing and keep the show running.

[JAG007]

What about Brian May as the presenter of The Sky At Night? What are people's thoughts ? After all they were very good friends and Brian does have an easy going style about him. I personally think that the show should continue, sir Patrick was the grandfather of astronomy (in my opinion, but others may disagree ,I don't mind),and I am sure he would not mind Brian taking over from where he left off. John.

[x6gas]

What about Brian May as the presenter of The Sky At Night? What are people's thoughts ? After all they were very good friends and Brian does have an easy going style about him. I personally think that the show should continue, sir Patrick was the grandfather of astronomy (in my opinion, but others may disagree ,I don't mind),and I am sure he would not mind Brian taking over from where he left off. John.

Personally I think the current line up is excellent. I find Chris Lintott particularly good as the professional astronomoer but my favourite presenter is Pete since he gives the amateur imagers' perspective. Let's be honest, SPM had been able to do less and less so I think the programme is already well prepared. Of course it will be different without the great man, but the ground work for the transition has already been well prepared.

[JAG007]

Just watched the interview on BBC2 , and Sir Patrick endorsed Chris Lintott to contine with the sky at night program. I hope that the BBC complies with Sir Patrick 's wishes.

John

[Double Kick Drum]

Personaly I think the BBC will kill the program off. Patrick was scathing about the BBC and had said to people he wasnt optimistic about the show continuing. My bet is the show will be replaced with something lighter weight fronte up by someone young and pretty and more 'street' perhaps with some articles of cool astronomy clothing to wear. Most TV these days is so vacuous and even otherwise intelligent folk seem to be obsessed with Strictly, or X Factor.

I suspect the beeb will concentrate on stuff like Stargazing Live where they can get screen time with pretty people and earn street cred points as well as using the existing stable of 'talent'........Bruce Forsyth perhaps, he's very versatile

I'm not quite as pessimistic but would be dissappointed given the scope of BBC4 if our beloved S@N did dissappear from our screens.

There is proportionately more drivel on TV these days but there still are gems if you are willing to hunt for them (away from BBC1, Sky One and everything on ITV). Given recent science series by Brian Cox, Alice Roberts and Jim Al Khalili (for example), I suspect the beeb may go down the cohesive series route, rather than funk it up for a more popular time scheduling.

[ampleamp]

Personally I think the current line up is excellent. I find Chris Lintott particularly good as the professional astronomoer but my favourite presenter is Pete since he gives the amateur imagers' perspective. Let's be honest, SPM had been able to do less and less so I think the programme is already well prepared. Of course it will be different without the great man, but the ground work for the transition has already been well prepared.

Couldn't agree more; the present lineup seem to gel and appear to get on well which is a good start. There is a good mix of enthusiasm and disciplines.

Change is inevitable but i am sure there is still a desire to produce high quality science programmes at the BBC and even if the bean-counters win I don't doubt that Sky at Night will continue.

SIr Patrick obviously was Sky at Night, however it will be up to someone else now to take on that mantle and make the programme his.

[notaclue]

As was stated on this forum in another thread by Paul Abel, all four will continue the Sky at Night programme.

[EntropyStar]

I caught this last night on iPlayer....

I thought it was a nice episode and seemed to tie in with Xmas and the Stargazing Live programmes, so many amateurs looking to start etc.

I was slightly how do I say this.....'concerned' regarding a couple of the newbies on the show who hadn't even taken their scope out the box, I hope that was a setup!! It was nice to see Dr North's second scope. In all honesty I was surprised it wasn't an 8" dob or some nice refractor, he said his wife bought him it from a charity shop which made me think it can't be that long ago he got into visual observing (if indeed he is) as he doesn't look that old.

It was sad to see a final farewell from Patrick but personally I feel the show is in very capable hands with Paul, Pete, Chris, Chris(!) and potentially Brian May.

I hope it'll continue in it's current format and I pray they keep Brian Cox away from it, I respect him very much but we don't need this programme sexed up! It was no coincidence a lot of the guest speakers on this years SGL were very easy on the eye!!

I loved the montages of Patrick and may his prescence be felt in our community for a long time to come...

[notaclue]

I caught this last night on iPlayer....

I thought it was a nice episode and seemed to tie in with Xmas and the Stargazing Live programmes, so many amateurs looking to start etc.

I was slightly how do I say this.....'concerned' regarding a couple of the newbies on the show who hadn't even taken their scope out the box, I hope that was a setup!! It was nice to see Dr North's second scope. In all honesty I was surprised it wasn't an 8" dob or some nice refractor, he said his wife bought him it from a charity shop which made me think it can't be that long ago he got into visual observing (if indeed he is) as he doesn't look that old.

It was sad to see a final farewell from Patrick but personally I feel the show is in very capable hands with Paul, Pete, Chris, Chris(!) and potentially Brian May.

I hope it'll continue in it's current format and I pray they keep Brian Cox away from it, I respect him very much but we don't need this programme sexed up! It was no coincidence a lot of the guest speakers on this years SGL were very easy on the eye!!

I loved the montages of Patrick and may his prescence be felt in our community for a long time to come...

Let me put it this way. If you had someone "pleasing to the eye" and it made people watch and take an interest then why not. The saying of sex sells is a very good point in this case. You get a good looking astronomer and people will want to watch that programme. Get someone like John Prescott and you will have people thinking of turning off the show to to look somewhere else. If there is a good looking astronomer who can make you learn and others learn as well then why not be all glam and sparkly.

I would rather have Professor Cox on TV than Prescott trying to explain the red spot on Jupiter any day. It would save the camera crew from wearing waterproof jackets.

[ikorodu]

Clearly Patrick wanted lintott to take over the presenting duties. He appears very capable from co-presenting. I'd agree that Pete Lawrence would be closer to the concept of an amateur astronomer (a very accomplished one) presenting.

I hope that whoever presents, that the programme stays true to its roots. The most recent episode was a great one.

Perhaps a spin off show is needed say Sky at Night Practical. It could cover the hands on side of things similar to the last episode say fronted by Pete Lawrence, with the more science stuff on the 'main' show presented by Chris Lintott.

[Twiggles]

Perhaps a spin off show is needed say Sky at Night Practical. It could cover the hands on side of things similar to the last episode say fronted by Pete Lawrence, with the more science stuff on the 'main' show presented by Chris Lintott.

This is a great idea, and as a newbie I'd be all for it, but I can understand the Beeb thinking, "well really, how many people will watch?". Be nice if we could petition to get such a show started, after all we pay the licence fee, so why can't we get a say in what we want to see? Would be a lot better than some of the drivel they pay to get produced that only lasts a series.

[notaclue]

This is a great idea, and as a newbie I'd be all for it, but I can understand the Beeb thinking, "well really, how many people will watch?". Be nice if we could petition to get such a show started, after all we pay the licence fee, so why can't we get a say in what we want to see? Would be a lot better than some of the drivel they pay to get produced that only lasts a series.

Well there are a few options it could be done with.

There is the normal, science type of show where things are explained in words and syllables that you do not find in newspapers like The Sun.

Or,

The wow and shouty man who knows bog all about Astronomy and tells you with jaunty zoom in and out camera angles pandering to "yoof" TV while normal people despair.

Or,

Someone who looks out of place in a wood doing a TV show that is more akin to paint dryers fan club.

Either way the last two would see me walking to the BBC with a baseball bat and a Mars Bar. And yet again, that Mars Bar would not last the trip.

[x6gas]

I understand that S@N gets a million viewers a month. For a TV show that is on once a month, at irregular times, often in the middle of the night, I think that's amazing.