The Sky at Night Appreciation Thread

[bh]

Yes... still watching.

John Culshaw is a possible replacement, as long as he does PM!

Chris North is an Oxford chappie?

[LordFerret]

Heh... I like the monocle.

[TERRIER]

Chris North is an Oxford chappie?

He certainly studied cosmology at Oxford, and that is where he met Chris Lintott, and got involved as an Astronomy Researcher for the Sky At Night.
After studying at Oxford, he moved onto Cardiff University where he was part of the ESA's PLANCK and HERSCHEL missions.

John Culshaw is a possible replacement, as long as he does PM!

Ha ha, his Patrick Moore impersonation is spot on.

Heh... I like the monocle.

Yep, he's been wearing it for years - can't say I've seen too many other people wearing one...he's possibly the most famous monocle wearer......ever

[TERRIER]

Almost time for the latest broadcast, with the main feature focusing on both the Pegasus and Andromeda constellations.

Air times :

Monday 3rd October 00:00 hrs BBC1 (Wales 00:45)
Tuesday 4th October 00:35 hrs BBC1 Northern Ireland
Thursday 6th October 19:30 hrs BBC4 [Extended Edition]
Friday 7th October 00:00 hrs BBC4 and BBC HD
Saturday 8th October 12:00 hrs BBC2
Sunday 9th October 00:30 hrs BBC HD
Sunday 9th October 01:10 hrs BBC4

All being well Sir Patrick will be presenting the show complete with his trusty monocle - but I guess if the Beeb wanted to keep the spirit of his eyepiece alive once he finally leaves the show then they could opt for this chap

[TERRIER]

Happy New Year!

2012 kicks off with the latest episode (No.710) intriguingly called "Other Solar Systems"

Air times are slightly later in the month this time, with the first showing on Monday 9th January 12:45am on BBC1.
The episode is repeated on BBC4 and BBC HD channel Thursday 12th January at 7:30pm, with the final showing on BBC4 Friday the 13th at 1:30am.

Also coming soon to BBC TV is the return of Stargazing Live with Brian Cox and Dara O'Briain, these will be shown on 3 consecutive nights starting Monday 16th January.

[TERRIER]

Hello again!

Part 2 of the 55th anniversary special is on tonight BBC2 at 23:55 BST (Northern Ireland 00:05, Scotland 00:40 7th May)

Episode is titled Moore's Marathon and will feature impressionist Jon Culshaw teaming up with some Hampshire astronomers in an attempt to locate, and log, Sir Patrick's 55 favourite heavenly objects!

Extended edition to be shown on 10th May BBC4 19:30 and 11th May 01:00 and will be followed by a re-run of the hour long 700th anniversary episode immediately after.



Speaking of Jon Culshaw here we see him meeting Brian Cox during this years Stargazing Live - but which is which!?

The impression has been put on youtube a few times and the best version I've found can be seen at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1rtS604Px8&feature=related

Enjoy!

[bh]

Superb TERRIER... so many buttons!

[TERRIER]

Well I don't know about anyone else, but I'm currently caught up with Olympic fever.

This included a trip to Wimbledon cheering on Andy Murray to victory last weekend in his first round match, before he won the gold medal today

Anyway this has meant that nothing else has got much of a look in on my telly this last week, and probably for next week also, but it's worth noting that the next edition of TSAN will be aired;

Sunday 12th August at 00:35 BST - BBC1
Wednesday 15th August 19:30 BST - BBC4 (extended edition)
Wednesday 15th August 22:30 BST - BBC HD

The show is called Home Grown Observatories, and will feature amateur astronomy. Hopefully there will also be news of a successful landing for the Mars Curiosity Rover.

[abramson]

Yeah, I am also caught by the Olympic fever, from a distance. Enjoyed a lot the last tennis matches, and particularly the two mens singles today. And the 100m final a little ago! What a race!

By the way, did any one notice that TSAN show on the transit of Venus displayed one of my photos near the end? It was such a thrill!

Guillermo

[TERRIER]

Yeah, I am also caught by the Olympic fever, from a distance. Enjoyed a lot the last tennis matches, and particularly the two mens singles today.And the 100m final a little ago! What a race!

Ah yes, a well deserved bronze medal for Del Potro I do believe, and the lightning Bolt strikes again!

By the way, did any one notice that TSAN show on the transit of Venus displayed one of my photos near the end? It was such a thrill!

Guillermo

Oh wow, that's fantastic - unfortunately the recording I made of the show was virtually un-watchable so I didn't get to chance to see it. I'll have to dig out another recording of that episode from somewhere else.

[TERRIER]

I've just watched the venus transit episode part 2 showing on TSAN website which can be found here;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00vw8d4

and to quote presenter Chris Lintott

On our Sky at Night flickr site we've had lot's of lovely images...and they really show what a global experience this transit has been, with images as far a field as the South China Sea..... and......ARGENTINA!!!!

and here it is, the pic as seen on the show





congrats on a great picture and for getting it onto the show Guillermo!!!

[abramson]

Thanks, guys. These things make me happier than any published paper in a scholarly journal...

Actually, I wasn't in Argentina! They knew it, because they asked for details when they asked for the images. The transit was not visible from most of South America. But I was determined not to miss it. In 2004 it WAS visible from Argentina, and NOT from New Mexico, where I was at the time. And this year it was the other way around. So I managed to visit my friends at the Department of Physics in Albuquerque, where we had the additional treat of an annular eclipse a few days before the transit. You will find more pictures in my blog (in Spanish, but a picture is worth a thousand words!):

Annular eclipse: El anillo de fuego

Venus transit: Sic transit

In addition, there was the lunar eclipse the day before: Lunar eclipse at dawn

And the disappearing act of Venus: Los cuernos de Venus

Enjoy!

[Chuft-Captain]

Sir Patrick Moore has died today: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20657939

[bh]

Yes... RIP Patrick... you will be missed.

[TERRIER]

Very sad news indeed.
I have to say that he looked and sounded very frail while presenting his final show, which was shown earlier this week.
But I've got to thank him for influencing my interest in astronomy.

I've no doubt the show will continue, and I'm very interested to see who the new main presenter will be.

Finally, here is Sir Patrick appearing on another long running BBC show, Blue Peter demonstrating his musical passion.



He was pretty nifty on the xylophone!

[TERRIER]

Happy new year,

We will, we will, moon-rock you!

Here's an article from Ultimate Classic Rock;

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/queen-brian-may-bbc-astronomy-show/

Despite his death on 9th December, Sir Patrick hosts the January edition of The Sky at Night which was recorded shortly before his death, and is due for it's first showing on January 7th BBC1 at 00:00 hours GMT.

Also coming soon is the return of the Cox / O'Briain double act in Stargazing Live 2013, due to be shown over 3 consecutive nights starting Tuesday January 8th on BBC2.

[TERRIER]

Move over Superbowl (for 20 minutes at least), because Dr Chris Lintott will be presenting the first post-Moore episode of TSAN entitled The Sun King from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, and will be first shown tomorrow night, Sunday at 23:55 GMT on BBC1 in England or 50 minutes later in Wales and Scotland.

The extended repeat will be shown on Thursday/Friday BBC4 19:30 and 01:05, and on BBC HD channel at 23:50.

Lucie Green is Chris Lintott's guest which makes up for her non-appearance on Stargazing Live this year, but at least there was the memorable moment when Brian May while operating the prototype ESA Mars rover ExoMars managed to slap Dara O'Briain on the head with one of the mock solar panels

Here's the last 30 minutes of the episode posted on youtube (fast forward to 26 minutes 35 for the slap)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rwtiH0zFKr0

cheers,
TERRIER

[abramson]

I have been contacted again by the producers of The Sky at Night. My images of comets PanSTARRS and Lemmon will show up on unday 7th April, BBC1 and Thursday, BBC4, 11th April. I cannot watch the programme from Argentina, but someone else could be interested. Have you seen comet PanSTARRS? It was beautiful, and two bright comets together were a special treat from our skies.

Guillermo

[t00fri]

I have been contacted again by the producers of The Sky at Night. My images of comets PanSTARRS and Lemmon will show up on unday 7th April, BBC1 and Thursday, BBC4, 11th April. I cannot watch the programme from Argentina, but someone else could be interested. Have you seen comet PanSTARRS? It was beautiful, and two bright comets together were a special treat from our skies.

Guillermo

Guillermo,

for me your comet shots were certainly "photos of the month"!
Great that The Sky at Night people agree...

Hamburg is still under a solid cover of snow (despite the official beginning of spring today!), and the sky is untransparently gray... No chance for viewing Mr. PanSTARRS

F.

[BobHegwood]

Guillermo,

for me your comet shots were certainly "photos of the month"!
Great that The Sky at Night people agree...

Hamburg is still under a solid cover of snow (despite the official beginning of spring today!), and the sky is untransparently gray... No chance for viewing Mr. PanSTARRS

F.

Same here in Ohio of the USA. Very strange... Last year I was riding one of my Harleys during February when it was 82 degrees Fahrenheit outside. This year, it looks as if all the global warming admonishments were silly. Take care over there Good Doctor.