The Sky at Night

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."

Many of the world's leading astronomers have appeared on the show through the years, including Harlow Shapley, who was the first to measure the size of the Milky Way galaxy, Fred Hoyle and Carl Sagan. Other guests have included Astronomer Royal Sir Martin Rees, astronomer Heather Couper, and Open University professors John Zarnecki, Monica Grady and Colin Pillinger. In July 2004, Moore was unable to make the broadcast due to a severe bout of Salmonellosis.[5] 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 50 years that Moore has not hosted the programme. Brian May (of Queen fame), a Ph.D. in Astrophysics [6], is a guest on the show from time to time. 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.

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. In the Guiness 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.

It is one of the world's longest-running TV shows, yet rarely manages to garner more than a glimmer of publicity. But Sir Patrick Moore's recent illness has thrust BBC One's monthly The Sky At Night into the spotlight. Sir Patrick, 81, missed the programme he has presented continuously for the last 47 years on Sunday after being struck down with suspected food poisoning. It is the first programme he has missed since the series began - although the highly-respected presenter is expected to be back for August's edition. The BBC first commissioned the series in 1957, with senior producer Paul Johnstone choosing Moore, a well-known author of astronomy books, as his presenter. Moore had been fascinated by astronomy from the age of six after picking up a book on the subject belonging to his mother. Illness meant the young Patrick was taught at home for most of his childhood - and it was there he built up his knowledge of the skies. By the age of 11, Moore was elected to the British Astronomical Association - 50 years later, he would become its president. The series began before the "space age" - but the launch of the world's first man-made satellite, Sputnik 1, saw interest in astronomy grow. Since then, Moore has been on hand for events such as the first pictures of the dark side of the Moon in 1959, the Apollo Moon landings of 1969 and the UK's total solar eclipse in 1999.

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