Question we can all answer from the 700th S@N..

[stev74]

I really enjoyed the 700th anniversary episode of The Sky at Night - it was really touching at the end when the experts were asked what got them interested in astronomy, they all said it was Sir Patrick one way or another.

I thought it would be a good question to ask everyone here -

What got you interested in astronomy?

For me it was, well you can probably guess.... Sir Patrick and the S@N. I can remember watching it as a child aged 10/12 for the first time. Completely by chance I caught an episode after not being able to sleep one night.

The programme really caught my imagination and was different to anything else on TV then or now really. I grew up with the S@N and now watch it with my own kids on the iPlayer, it's incredible to think there are several generations that have grown up with the show.

Although it took me years (33 to be exact) to eventually get my own scope I have always looked up with wonder thanks to Sir Patrick and the S@N. :)

[kris h]

3 years ago Looking up & Wondering about what those 3 stars in a line

were called & then got given a guide to Northern Constellations book

then found out those 3 stars are orions belt in the orion con

looking up ever since & watchin S@N

[Doug]

It's was Sir Patrick that hooked me, not from the begining as I was only 5 years old when he started on TV with The Sky at Night in 1957 I remember it was on late

I also remember my father waking me up to watch the first Moon landing together great times and very exciting, never to be forgotten

Doug

Essex

[TheThing]

Not SPM, but a chap called Bruce Gavin. He was in my class at school and when were in Mrs Trotters class, Court Lane Juniors, Portsmouth about 1979 he did a talk about his hobby of astronomy.

For years I thought you had to know everything about the universe to be into astronomy (Bruce's talk was so good and he new so much!) so was slightly put off. How I wish I could turn back time! I had a passing interest, but never really followed it up.

The catalyst was about 2001 when Mars was at its closest approach for 60m years or some such. It was all over the news, I got reading, got a scopeand got looking, watched S@N and finally found SGL!

[GazOC]

I don't know exactly, I've been interested in astronomy since I can remember but given my age I'd be very surprised if the pictures the Pioneer and Voyager probes sent back didn't play a major part.

[MrsR]

It was Stephen Hawkings that got me interested, his book A Brief History of Time really made me curious and it carried on from there.

[Ender Of Days]

It was Jupiter and Venus getting together back in 1987 for me,

My first observation was a drawing of the rooftops with bright "stars" above them,

from them I started going to the local library and reading all the space books (Fred Hoyle,Carl Sagan and Patrick Moore of course)

I wrote a letter to Mr Moore way back when,he sent a reply of which I still actualy have framed ! :)

JJ..

[jgs001]

It was my son... he needed to look at the moon through a telescope or pair of binoculars for a scout badge... even using 7x35 bins though double glazing, the moon looked totally different and that was it, hooked.

[msinclairinork]

i feel like i was born this way? I honestly can't remember a certain event or time when I started having an intrest...bit wierd, i think?! lol

Michael

[blacksaltire]

I was 7 years old and was facinated by the globe of the moon my father had. "dad can i watch that program on the telly what tells you all about stars and stuff ? " sure son ! and Sir Patrick hooked me !

[Mark at Beaufort]

I was 11 or 12 when my friend bought a Charles Frank Junior astronomical telescope. It had a cardboard tube a simply lens and eyepiece. He showed me the Moon and it started me off. That was about 1959 and with my first pay cheque in 1965 I bought a 60mm frac.

Mark

[Smooth]

It was a Sky At Night episode about Jupiter that inspired me. I was 12, not tired and was allowed to watch it. I borrowed my nan's brass telescope the next weekend, and viewed Jupiter through the clouds. Been hooked ever since!

[Nillchill]

james burke and patrick moore but more specifically watching the first moon landing at the age of 3 I can still remember it to this day, I was mad for rockets and space and physics generally after that.

[narrowbandpaul]

Stephen Hawking for me.

The fact that the mans brain is causing his muscles to fail, yet he is one of the best scientists of our generation is nothing short of amazing

[vulcan]

It was definitely Dan Dare for me. Then, I found a book with a drawing of the solar system and found that all the places mentioned in Dad Dare really existed. Where I lived at the time had a sky to die for and I learned all the constellations from 'The Observers Book of Astronomy' and later still, a Patrick Moore book - 'Stargazing'. Leaving London after 40 years of light pollution had rekindled my interest.

[George Jones]

When I was a kid, the successful race to send people to the Moon got me interested in astronomy, and my interest in astronomy as a kid led me to study physics and maths at university.

[Si W]

Sir Patrick, then an excellent book called Practical Astronomy, and Saturn though a 60mm refractor all at the age 9. Hooked since then.

[Ianladd]

I was really into space as a child.. Even got mum to take me to see Halley's Comet at Moore Park Observatory when I was about 8.

More recently, I think it was a few months ago when I saw the ISS pass over completely by coincidence.. Went inside and did a bit of research online to confirm it (Think it may have been the Jodrell Bank Website) and then started reading more from there..

Joined all you lovely people at SGL.. Bought some Bino's.. Will buy a scope as soon as the funds allow..

I see a pattern forming...

[kharga]

It was watching the moon while babysitting, September 16th 1969. I was so gobsmacked to think that they were actually up on the moon as I could see it through the window.

[jonathan]

My brother and I had several space-type books for as long as I can remember, I still have two of them to this day in fact - Travellers in Space and Time, and Space Traveller's Handbook. Funny thing is, I can't actually say that I've read them, but as children my brother and I loved looking at the pictures and tracing the artist space vehicle concept drawings, I still have one of those tracings around somewhere too.

Nothing much happened until I finally got a job about three years ago that paid enough so that I could afford to spend proper money on myself, and having always enjoyed watching Sky At Night astronomy was one of the things I fancied getting in to.

So in a way it's another win for Sir Patrick Moore. He wrote Travellers in Space and Time, I also have his book The Atlas of the Solar System which I acquired shortly before finding my present employment.

Also, I've always been a science fiction fan so anything with space themes is probably going to be of interest to me.

[Moonshane]

I have always been interested in the sky and over the years have seen some major events - Hyakutake, Hale Bopp, not quite solar eclipse (1999?) and a number of lunar eclipses but until about two years ago had been into Natural History and mainly birds and insects.

On the recommendation of a customer, I then read A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson and this combined with a meteor shower one camping holiday while I was reading it (Perseids I think) made me lust for more in terms of science reading and wanting to see the skies in greater detail. So for me it's indirectly Bill Bryson - so thanks to him! It's an all encompassing hobby for me with every element possible - you can just lie on your back and look with your eyes, a quick peek with your bins, use a scope for great views and even make your own gear too! It's not surprising my other hobbies have fallen by the wayside a little!

[Altair]

Sir Patrick fired my interest, back in the early 60s My mum and dad took me to the Planetarium London then I Got a Charles Frank DIY scope really nice 4 inch reflector, never looked back Oh and even missed the last 3 days of my school life due to the first moon landing! Seemed much more important to me to witness as much of that as I could ! Loved the 700th edition of the Sky at Night Patrick looked as though he was enjoying himself!