Following the sad news on Sunday of the death of Sir Patrick Moore, BBC one has scheduled a special tribute programme tonight at 10.35pm. (On BBC Wales this will be at 11.05pm).
10 years ago I had the honor to work with Sir Patrick Moore, strangely I found myself narrating an astronomy programme for local BBC radio which featured inserts from Patrick. I spoke to him on the phone several times and his pieces were recorded down the line. It was brief but he left a lasting impression with me. It was like speaking to someone from a long gone age, like having a conversation with Newton or Copernicus. He shared their fascination and awe of the universe and our place in it. He was a kindly eccentric genius who loved communicating science and sharing his passion for the stars. He once said that he would like to be remembered as an amateur astronomer who played cricket and the xylophone. He will be remembered for being so much more. Thank you Patrick.
"Sir Patrick was one of the greats of BBC Television: a man who used the medium to educate and to enthuse new generations with his passion for astronomy, and it’s been an honour for us to have had him presenting The Sky At Night from 1957 to the present day. We and our audiences will miss him." - Roger Mosey, Director, BBC Vision
He was knighted in the 2001 New Year list 'for services to the popularisation of science and to broadcasting', an honour which earned him congratulations from around the world
Celebrating his 88th birthday last year, Sir Patrick, pictured with his 'dear typewriter' on which all of his books have been written.
To many of my generation he is remembered as the GamesMaster, the all-knowing oracle of gaming. "He would quip sarcastically at children as they just wanted to know how to get lots of blood in Mortal Kombat." - Gaming-Centrum
May he shine amongst the stars
