Patrick Moore
Astronomer
Sir Patrick Moore (1923–2012) presented The Sky at Night on BBC TV from 1957–2012. He was the Editor Emeritus of BBC Sky at Night Magazine, President of the British Astronomical Association and Society for Popular Astronomy, and a researcher and writer of over 70 books.
Recent articles by Patrick Moore
How exoplanets changed the prospect of finding life beyond Earth
Patrick Moore discusses the allure of exoplanets, and how their discovery shifted the goalposts in the search for life beyond Earth.
From Galileo to Hubble, these are six of the greatest, most famous telescopes in history
Patrick Moore's pick of the telescopes that, in their time, reigned supreme and led to ‘quantum leaps’ in science.
Five beautiful galaxies to see in the night sky this autumn. How many can you tick off the list?
In one of Patrick Moore's columns for BBC Sky at Night Magazine, the late astronomer and broadcaster reveals his favourite galaxies to spot in autumn's night skies.
Moon illusion explained
Have you ever noticed the Moon sometimes appears huge when it's close to the horizon?
Johannes Hevelius
Percival Lowell, the astronomer who searched for planet X
In this archive article, the late Patrick Moore looks at the life of Percival Lowell.
Astronomers you should know | John Flamsteed
The first Astronomer Royal was a self-taught observer and a perfectionist. Patrick Moore reflects on Flamsteed’s achievements and his spat with Edmond Halley
This is what makes Venus so special
From the archives, Patrick Moore's musings on why Venus is such a special planet.
Gallery | Plato Crater
Facts about Plato Crater and images of this fascinating lunar feature.
Black on white or white on black? The mystery of Saturn's weird two-toned moon
Patrick Moore reveals interesting facts about Saturn's strange black and white satellite in this archive article.
Ever seen the Summer Triangle in the night sky? Find out how to locate this beautifully simple star pattern
The Summer Triangle is a wonderful asterism and a great place to begin exploring the stars of the summer night sky.
Understanding the Universe: what we know and the many secrets we've yet to discover
In this article from the archives, Patrick Moore contemplates how far we've come in our understanding of the Universe, and how far we've yet to go.
Are we prepared for a maverick asteroid hitting Earth?
In this archive article from 2006, Patrick Moore discusses the likelihood of Earth being struck by a huge space rock.
Is Earth in danger if Betelgeuse goes supernova?
Red giant star Betelgeuse, could go supernova relatively soon. Are we in danger? Patrick Moore weighs up the risk in this archive article.
If there's life on Mars, it could be common across the Universe
Back in 2006, the late Patrick Moore pondered what it would mean if we did find life on the Red Planet.
Strange things astronomers used to believe about the Moon
In this archive article, the late Patrick Moore discusses some of the most ill-conceived notions about our lunar neighbour.
Observing guide | How to observe the Moon
Want to get to know the Moon better? Discover how to explore our celestial neighbour with our observing guide.
Why we have nothing to fear from alien races
In this archive article, Patrick Moore explains why we shouldn't fear making contact with civilisations beyond our Solar System.
Why we can't rule out a visit from alien beings
Will we ever make contact with intelligent civilisations beyond Earth? In this archive column, the late Patrick Moore outlines the arguments.
Patrick Moore's top 10 winter astronomy sights
A tour of spectacular deep-sky objects with the late Sir Patrick Moore’s pick of his personal favourites.
Could we really live on Mars?
The late Patrick Moore weighs up the practical and ethical dilemmas of permanently settling on the Red Planet, in this article from 2005.
Gallery | The Pleiades
A guide to M45, also known as the Pleiades, and images of the famous open star cluster.
Observe and photograph the Moon's terminator
The movement of the lunar terminator provides a great opportunity to observe and photograph the changing play of light and shadow.
