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The Sky at Night

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This article is about the BBC astronomy programme. For other uses, see Sky at Night (disambiguation).

The Sky at Night
GenreDocumentary
Presented byPatrick Moore
StarringPatrick Moore
Chris Lintott
Pete Lawrence
Paul Abel
Chris North
Theme music composerJean Sibelius
Opening theme"At the Castle Gate"
Ending theme"At the Castle Gate"
Country of originTemplate:TVUK
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes705
Production
Running time30 minutes
Original release
NetworkBBC One
BBC Four
Release24 April 1957 (1957-04-24) –
present
(67 years, 138 days)

The Sky at Night is a monthly documentary television programme on astronomy produced by the BBC. The show has had the same permanent presenter, Sir Patrick Moore, from its first airing on 24 April 1957, making it the longest-running programme[1] with the same presenter in television history.[2] Many early episodes are missing, the tapes having been wiped or thrown out, or because the episode was broadcast live.[3]

The programme's opening and closing theme music is "At the Castle Gate", from the incidental music to Pelléas et Mélisande by Jean Sibelius, performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham.

Content

The programme covers a wide range of general astronomical and space-related topics. In the past, general topics have included stellar life cycles, radio astronomy, artificial satellites, black holes, neutron stars and many others. The programme also covers what is happening in the night sky at the time it is being broadcast, especially when something less common, such as a comet or a meteor shower, is present.

Explaining the show's enduring appeal, Moore said: "Astronomy's a fascinating subject. You look up... you can't help getting interested and it's there. We've tried to bring it to the people.. it's not me, it's the appeal of the subject."[4]

Notable guests

Many of the world's leading astronomers have appeared on the show through the years, including Harlow Shapley (the first to measure the size of the Milky Way galaxy), Fred Hoyle, Carl Sagan,[5] Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Samuel Tolansky, Harold Spencer Jones, Martin Ryle, Carlos Frenk, and Bart Bok[citation needed]. Other guests have included Arthur C. Clarke,[6] Astronomer Royal Sir Martin Rees, Arnold Wolfendale, Allan Chapman, Sir Bernard Lovell, Michael Bentine, Wernher von Braun, Open University professors John Zarnecki, Monica Grady, Edwin Maher and Colin Pillinger[citation needed].

Many well-known astronauts have also featured on the programme, such as Piers Sellers, Eugene Cernan, Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong[citation needed].

In July 2004, Moore was unable to make the broadcast due to a severe bout of Salmonellosis.[7] He was replaced for this one occasion by the cosmologist Chris Lintott of Oxford University, but returned for the August programme. This is the only occasion in over 55 years that Moore has not hosted the programme.

Brian May (of Queen fame), a Ph.D. in astrophysics, is a guest on the show from time to time.[8]

On 1 April 2007, Sir Patrick presented the 50th Anniversary edition of the show, a special "time travel" edition which included the appearance of Jon Culshaw as Moore's younger self. The 50th Anniversary programme was filmed at Teddington Studios as the 1957 home of the programme, Lime Grove Studios, had been demolished in 1992.

On 6 March 2011, Sir Patrick presented the 700th edition of the show, a special retrospective episode which included Jon Culshaw once again appearing as Moore's younger self, as well as Dr. Brian May and the first appearance on the show of Professor Brian Cox. 

On 9th December 2012 Sir Patrick died leaving it unknown who will present the show.

Commemorative honours

The International Astronomical Union celebrated the 50th anniversary of the show by naming asteroid 57424 Caelumnoctu (the number referring to the first broadcast date and the name being Latin for "The Sky at Night").

In February 2007, the Royal Mail issued a set of six astronomy stamps to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the programme.[9]

In the Guinness Book of World Records, Patrick Moore is listed as the most prolific presenter in the world, having hosted all but one episode of the Sky at Night since 1957. However, with Moore's death in December 2012, it is not yet known who will replace the venerable presenter on the show.

DVD release

A DVD of the special commemorative Sky at Night film Apollo 11: A Night to Remember was released on 6 July 2009 to coincide with the 40th anniversary year of the first man on the moon.

See also

References

  1. ^ Chamberlain, Darryl (6 July 2004). "The Sky At Night's space generation". BBC News. Retrieved 9 October 2007.
  2. ^ Biography of Sir Patrick Moore Retrieved 4/Jan/07
  3. ^ "Arthur C Clarke predicted Russians would put first man on moon". Guardian. 1 December 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
  4. ^ "The Sky at Night enters 50th year". BBC News. 8 January 2007. Retrieved 9 October 2007.
  5. ^ "Leading astronomers on The Sky At Night". BBC News. 8 January 2007. Retrieved 10 September 2007.
  6. ^ "Arthur C Clarke predicted Russians would put first man on moon". Guardian. 1 December 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
  7. ^ "Food poisoning". BBC News. 6 July 2004. Retrieved 10 September 2007.
  8. ^ "Queen Guitarist Brian May Gets Astrophysics Doctorate". 24 August 2007. Retrieved 23 January 2008.
  9. ^ "2007 – The Sky at Night set". Ianridpath.com. Retrieved 18 December 2010.
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