Sir Patrick Moore.

[StarryEyed]

When I was twelve my mother used to let me stay up by myself until midnight on a Sunday night so I could watch the sky at night which started at 11:00.

I had to beg and plead with her and offer a rock solid guarantee I would get up in the morning. She was often already gone to work but I was never late for school and rarely missed an episode.

Edited August 7, 2019 by StarryEyed

[Nigella Bryant]

Strangely yesterday, darting from a thunder downpour I found myself in oxfam book shop. Found this book for £2.99 by Patrick Moore. Didn't really think twice so bought it as it was by Patrick. Not got a book for binocular observing so why not, lol. 

[Alfian]

Excellent!

[philj]

A trip to the London Planetarium plus unpolluted skies where I lived at the time in the early 60s got me into Astronomy, Sir Patricks books and the Sky At Night reinforced the fascination.

I still have my Observers book from the 60s

[Astroscot2]

I don't think that Sir Patrick or the Sky @  Night had any real influence on me when I stared in Astronomy, I was curious about the sky before I knew of him or the program, I rarely saw the Sky @ Night program as it was on the TV very late when I was a youngster and way past my bed time.  I only ever saw Patrick up close once, He was doing a stage show in Glasgow with Nigel Henbest and Heather Cooper around the last appearance of Halley's comet, hes was standing at the bar having a whiskey just before the show started, I was too embarrassed to go up to him and say hello, I regret that.  He did read out my question in a Q&A session at the end of the show which made me a proud 14 year old.   He wrote a book a number of years back which was a selection of questions from amature astronomers about his career, I think my question appeared in that book if I recall, can t remember what it was though.  These days I watch the Sky @ Night if I happen to stumble upon it glad to know its still going.

 

Mark

[Phil Fargaze]

Another way Sir Patrick had to inspire people was to take the time to reply to any letters he received. Had I known that as a youngster I would have no doubt composed a letter to the great man himself and eagerly awaited a response. 

Me and my family met him at the Herstomceaux Festival of Astronomy in 2007. He took the time to meet everyone and also had lunch in their cafe while we were having lunch as well. So does that mean I can tenuously say that I have had lunch with Sir Patrick!

[Nigella Bryant]

52 minutes ago, Phil Fargaze said:

Another way Sir Patrick had to inspire people was to take the time to reply to any letters he received. Had I known that as a youngster I would have no doubt composed a letter to the great man himself and eagerly awaited a response. 

Me and my family met him at the Herstomceaux Festival of Astronomy in 2007. He took the time to meet everyone and also had lunch in their cafe while we were having lunch as well. So does that mean I can tenuously say that I have had lunch with Sir Patrick!

I think that is true, perhaps that was his quality, having time for people. 

[Peter Drew]

1 hour ago, Phil Fargaze said:

Another way Sir Patrick had to inspire people was to take the time to reply to any letters he received. Had I known that as a youngster I would have no doubt composed a letter to the great man himself and eagerly awaited a response. 

Me and my family met him at the Herstomceaux Festival of Astronomy in 2007. He took the time to meet everyone and also had lunch in their cafe while we were having lunch as well. So does that mean I can tenuously say that I have had lunch with Sir Patrick!

I have a postcard from Sir Patrick wishing me luck after I wrote to him to say that I was proposing to found an Astronomy Centre for amateurs. I also met him several times when I was on the lecture "circuit". He also "opened" a couple of observatories that I built, one for a society and one for a school. Very nice man in person.   😀

[Erling G-P]

Got the book below when I was around 10 (54 today).  Used the star charts in it back then and still do today.

Regrettably I had no way of watching The Sky @ Night.  Would have gobbled it up no doubt, just like I did Carl Sagan's Cosmos series.

 

Regards,

Erling G-P

[bish]

An old encyclopeadia and sneaking out at night as a kid got me interested,  SPM certainly fuelled the interested as I got older.  Others do a good job on TV but nobody will match his infectious enthusiasm in my mind. 

[ejp1684]

A visit to the London Planetarium followed by The Observer's book of Astronomy sparked my interest. The book was a prize at school when I was 13.

Eric.

        

[barkis]

I met sir Patrick at a time when he visited our Observatory in the Grounds of Trinity School in Carlisle.
Of course it was the BAA's Out of London meeting, which Carlisle qualified for as a venue when The University of Cumbria 
was established, and Halls of Residence were then available.

The two pictures show sir P.  having a chin wag with the late great David Sinden, who Patrick knew so well.
Patrick was trying in vain to persuade David to appear on his Sky at Night Programme, but David could not be persuaded at all.

The telescope in one Image is one I made myself. It was a 12" F6 which I installed in a Hexagon shaped tube, it bore some resemblance
 one of his own Newtonian's at  Selsey. 

I managed to have a few words with him inside the Border Astronomical Society's  Domed Obs, which was constructed 
by some of the Trainees of the Carlisle Technical College.  Our little chat was more about sir P's  RAF years, and little or no astronomy as I remember.
It was a very exciting time though, great stuff.
Ron.

 

 

Edited August 10, 2019 by barkis

[Mr niall]

Nope never heard of sky at night until long after I joined this forum. Patrick Moore was always the games master to me!

[-philip-]

I remember watching the Sky at Night when I was very young, on an old black and white TV when I was supposed to be in bed completely mesmerised by him, although not entirely understanding what he was talking about..

[Alfian]

21 hours ago, ejp1684 said:

A visit to the London Planetarium followed by The Observer's book of Astronomy sparked my interest. The book was a prize at school when I was 13.

Eric.

        

Snap! that's the edition I have.

[Nigella Bryant]

This pic came up on Facebook from a country fair veg competition. Brilliant. 

[geoflewis]

Brilliant indeed 👍