Sir Patrick Moore | |
|---|---|
 Moore in 2002 | |
| Born | Patrick Alfred Caldwell-Moore (1923-03-04)4 March 1923[1] Pinner, Middlesex, England |
| Died | 9 December 2012(2012-12-09) (aged 89) Selsey, West Sussex, England |
| Resting place | Chichester, West Sussex, England |
| Known for | The Sky at Night |
| Awards | |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astronomy |
| Institutions | |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1940–45 |
| Rank | Pilot officer |
| Battles / wars | Second World War |
Sir Patrick Alfred Caldwell-Moore[a] (/ˈkɔːldwɛl/; 4 March 1923 – 9 December 2012[1]) was an Englishamateur astronomer who attained prominence in that field as a writer, researcher, radio commentator and television presenter.[2][3][4]
Moore's early interest inastronomy led him to join theBritish Astronomical Association at the age of 11. He served in theRoyal Air Force duringWorld War II and briefly taught before publishing his first book onlunar observation in 1953. Renowned for his expertise in Moon observation and the creation of theCaldwell catalogue, Moore authored more than seventy astronomy books. He hosted the world's longest-running television series with the original presenter,BBC'sThe Sky at Night, from 1957 until his death in 2012. Idiosyncrasies such as his rapid diction andmonocle made him a popular and instantly recognisable figure on British television. Moore was co-founder and president of theSociety for Popular Astronomy.
Outside his field of astronomy, Moore appeared in the video game television showGamesMaster. Moore was also a self-taughtxylophonist and pianist, as well as an accomplished composer. He was an amateur cricketer, golfer and chess player. In addition to manypopular science books, he wrote numerous works of fiction. He was an opponent offox hunting, an outspoken critic of theEuropean Union and a supporter of theUK Independence Party, and he served as chairman of the short-lived anti-immigrationUnited Country Party. He wasknighted in 2001.
Moore was born inPinner,Middlesex, on 4 March 1923[5] to Capt. Charles Trachsel Caldwell-MooreMC (died 1947)[6] and Gertrude (née White) (died 1981).[6] His family moved toBognor Regis, and subsequently toEast Grinstead where he spent his childhood. His youth was marked by heart problems, which left him in poor health, and he was educated at home by private tutors.[5][7] He developed an interest in astronomy at the age of six[8] and joined theBritish Astronomical Association at the age of 11.[9] He was invited to run a small observatory in East Grinstead at the age of 14, after his mentor,William Sadler Franks – who ran the observatory – was killed in a road accident.[10] At the age of 16, he began wearing amonocle after anoculist told him his right eye was weaker than his left.[11]
DuringWorld War II, Moore joined theHome Guard in East Grinstead, where his father had been electedplatoon commander.[12] Records show that he enlisted in theRoyal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in December 1941 at age 18 and was not called up for service until July 1942 as anAircraftman, 2nd Class.[13] After basic training at various RAF bases in England, he went to Canada under theBritish Commonwealth Air Training Plan. He completed training atRAF Moncton in New Brunswick as a navigator and pilot.[14] Returning to England in June 1944, he was commissioned as apilot officer[15] and was posted to RAFMillom inCumberland, where he claimed to have been a navigator in the crew of aVickers Wellington bomber, engaged inmaritime patrolling and bombing missions to mainland Europe,[16] though in fact he was still in training at Millom. He was only posted toBomber Command five days before the end of the war in Europe.[17] After the end of hostilities, Moore became anadjutant and then an Area Meteorological Officer, demobilising in October 1945 with the rank offlying officer.[18]
After the war, Moore rejected a grant to study at theUniversity of Cambridge, citing a wish to "stand on my own two feet".[9] He wrote his first book,Guide to the Moon (later retitledPatrick Moore on the Moon) in 1952, and it was published a year later.[9] He was a teacher inWoking and atHolmewood House School inLangton Green[19] in Kent from 1945 to 1953.[20] His second book was a translation of a work of French astronomerGérard de Vaucouleurs (Moore spoke fluent French).[21] After his second original science book,Guide to the Planets, he wrote his first work of fiction,The Master of the Moon,[22] the first of numerousyoung adult fiction space adventure books (including the late 1970s series theScott Saunders Space Adventure); he wrote a more adult novel and afarce titledAncient Lights, though he did not wish either to be published.[23] Moore also translated the bookQuanta by J Lochak and Andrade E Silva, published in 1969, from the French.
While teaching at Holmewood, he set up a 12½ inchreflector telescope at his home, which he kept into his old age.[10] He developed a particular interest in thefar side of the Moon, a small part of which is visible from Earth as a result of the Moon'slibration; the Moon was his specialist subject throughout his life.[10] Moore described the short-lived glowing areas on the lunar surface and gave them the nametransient lunar phenomena in 1968.[24]
His first television appearance was in a debate about the existence offlying saucers following a spate of reportedsightings in the 1950s; Moore argued againstLord Dowding and other UFO proponents.[25] He was invited to present a live astronomy programme and said the greatest difficulty was finding an appropriate theme tune; the opening ofJean Sibelius'sPelléas et Mélisande was chosen and used throughout the programme's existence.[26] The programme was originally namedStar Map beforeThe Sky at Night was chosen in theRadio Times.[26] On 24 April 1957, at 10:30 pm, Moore presented the first episode about theComet Arend–Roland.[26] The programme was pitched to casual viewers up to professional astronomers, in a format which remained consistent from its inception.[27] Moore presented every monthly episode except for one in July 2004 when he suffered a near-fatal bout offood poisoning caused by eating a contaminated goose egg and was replaced for that episode byChris Lintott.[28] Moore appears in theGuinness World Records book as the world's longest-serving TV presenter having presented the programme since 1957. From 2004 to 2012, the programme was broadcast from Moore's home whenarthritis prevented him from travelling to the studios. Over the years, he received many lucrative offers to take his programme onto other networks but rejected them because he held a 'gentlemen's agreement' with the BBC.[29]
In 1959, the Russians allowed Moore to be the first Westerner to see the photographic results of theLuna 3 probe and to show them live on air.[30] Less successful was the transmission of theLuna 4 probe, which ran into technical difficulties and around this time, Moore famously swallowed a large fly; both episodes were live, and Moore had to continue regardless.[31] He was invited to visit theSoviet Union, where he metYuri Gagarin, the first man to journey intoouter space.[32] For the fiftieth episode ofThe Sky at Night, in September 1961, Moore's attempt to be the first to broadcast a live direct telescopic view of a planet resulted in another unintended 'comedy episode', as cloud obscured the sky.[33]
In 1965, he was appointed director of the newly constructedArmagh Planetarium in Northern Ireland, a post he held until 1968.[34] His stay outside England was short partly because of the beginning ofThe Troubles, a dispute Moore wanted no involvement in.[35] He was appointedArmagh County secretary of theScout movement but resigned after being informed that Catholics could not be admitted.[36] In developing the Planetarium, Moore travelled to Japan to secure aGoto Mars projector.[37] He helped with the redevelopment of theBirr Telescope in the Republic of Ireland.[38] He was a key figure in the development of theHerschel Museum of Astronomy inBath.[39]
In June 1968, he returned to England, settling in Selsey after resigning from his post in Armagh.[40] During the NASA Apollo programme, presenting on theApollo 8 mission, he declared that "this is one of the great moments of human history", only to have his broadcast interrupted by the children's programmeJackanory.[41] He was a presenter for theApollo 9 andApollo 10 missions, and a commenter, withCliff Michelmore andJames Burke, forBBC television's coverage of the Moon landing missions.[41] Moore could not remember his words at the "Eagle has landed" moment, and the BBC lost the tapes of the broadcast.[42] A homemade recording reveals that the studio team was very quiet during the landing sequence, leaving the NASA commentary clear of interruptions. Some 14 seconds after "contact" Burke says "They've touched". At 36 seconds, he says, "Eagle has landed". Between 53 and 62 seconds, he explains the upcoming stay/no-stay decision, and NASA announces the T1 stay at 90 seconds after contact. At 100 seconds, the recorded sequence ends. Thus, any real-time comment Moore made was not broadcast live, and the recording ends before Burke polls the studio team for comment and reaction. Moore participated in TV coverage ofApollo missions12 to17.[43]
"Patrick was the last of a lost generation, a true gentleman, the most generous in nature that I ever knew, and an inspiration to thousands in his personal life, and to millions through his 50 years of unique broadcasting. It's no exaggeration to say that Patrick, in his tireless and ebullient communication of the magic of astronomy, inspired every British astronomer, amateur and professional, for half a century. There will never be another Patrick Moore. But we were lucky enough to get one."
He was elected a member of theInternational Astronomical Union in 1966;[45][46] having twice edited the Union's General Assembly newsletters.[47] He attempted to establish an International Union of Amateur Astronomers, which failed due to lack of interest.[48] During the 1970s and 80s, he reported on theVoyager andPioneer programs, often fromNASA headquarters.[49] At this time he became increasingly annoyed byconspiracy theorists and reporters who asked him questions such as "Why waste money on space research when there is so much to be done here?". He said that when asked these type of questions "I know that I'm dealing with an idiot."[50] Another question that annoyed him was "what is the difference betweenastronomy andastrology?"[51] Despite this he made a point of responding to all letters delivered to his house, and sent a variety of standard replies to letters asking basic questions, as well as those from conspiracy theorists, proponents of hunting and 'cranks'.[52] Despite his fame, his telephone number was always listed in the telephone directory and he was happy to show members of the public his observatory.[53]
He compiled theCaldwell catalogue,[b] of 109star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies for observation by amateur astronomers.[54] In 1982,asteroid2602 Moore was named in his honour.[55] In February 1986, he presented a special episode ofThe Sky at Night on the approach ofHalley's Comet. However, he later said the BBC's better-fundedHorizon team "made a complete hash of the programme."[56] In January 1998,a tornado destroyed part of Moore's garden observatory; it was subsequently rebuilt.[57] Moore campaigned unsuccessfully against the closure of theRoyal Observatory, Greenwich in 1998.[58] Among Moore's favourite episodes ofThe Sky at Night were those that dealt witheclipses, and he said, "there is nothing in nature to match the glory of atotal eclipse of the Sun."[59]
Moore was a BBC presenter for thetotal eclipse in England in 1999, though the view he and his team had fromCornwall was obscured by cloud.[60] Moore was the patron of theSouth Downs Planetarium and Science Centre, and he attended its official opening in 2001.[61]
On 1 April 2007, a 50th anniversary semi-spoof edition of the programme was broadcast onBBC One, with Moore depicted as aTime Lord. It featured special guests, amateur astronomersJon Culshaw (impersonating Moore presenting the firstThe Sky at Night) andBrian May. On 6 May 2007, a special edition ofThe Sky at Night was broadcast on BBC One to commemorate the programme's 50th anniversary, with a party in Moore's garden at Selsey, attended by amateur and professional astronomers. Moore celebrated the record-breaking 700th episode ofThe Sky at Night at his home in Sussex on 6 March 2011. He presented with the help of special guestsProfessor Brian Cox, Jon Culshaw andLord Rees, theAstronomer Royal.[62]
It was reported in January 2012 that because of arthritis and the effects of an old spinal injury, he was no longer able to operate a telescope. However, he was still able to presentThe Sky at Night from his home.[63]
Moore briefly supported theLiberal Party in the 1950s, though later condemned theLiberal Democrats, saying he believed they could alter their position radically and that they "would happily join up with theBNP or theSocialist Workers Party ... if [by doing so] they could win a few extra votes."[64] In the 1970s, he was chairman of the anti-immigrationUnited Country Party, a position he held until the party was absorbed by theNew Britain Party in 1980. He campaigned for the politician Edmund Iremonger at the1979 general election, as the two men agreed the French and Germans were not to be trusted.[65] Iremonger and Moore gave up political campaigning after deciding they wereThatcherites.[65] He also admired theOfficial Monster Raving Loony Party and was briefly their financial adviser.[66] AEurosceptic, he was a supporter and patron of theUK Independence Party,[67] and campaigned on behalf of Douglas Denny, the UKIP candidate for theChichester constituency in2001.[64]
Moore was known for hisconservative political views. Proudlydeclaring himself to be English (rather than British) with "not the slightest wish to integrate with anybody",[66] he stated his admiration for British politicianEnoch Powell.[68] Moore devoted an entire chapter ("The Weak Arm of the Law") of his autobiography to denouncing modern British society, particularly "motorist-hunting" policemen, sentencing policy, theRace Relations Act,Sex Discrimination Act and the "Thought Police/Politically CorrectBrigade".[69] He wrote that "homosexuals are mainly responsible for the spreading ofAIDS (theGarden of Eden is home ofAdam and Eve, notAdam and Steve)".[70] In 2007, in an interview withRadio Times, he said the BBC was being "ruined by women", commenting that: "The trouble is that the BBC now is run by women and it shows: soap operas, cooking, quizzes,kitchen-sink plays. You wouldn't have had that in the golden days." In response, a BBC spokeswoman described Moore as being one of TV's best-loved figures and remarked that his "forthright" views were "what we all love about him".[71] During his June 2002 appearance onRoom 101 he banished female newsreaders into Room 101.[72]
I may be accused of being a dinosaur, but I would remind you that dinosaurs ruled the Earth for a very long time.
— Moore responds to those who criticise his right-wing beliefs[73]
He wrote in his autobiography thatLiechtenstein – aconstitutional monarchy headed by a prince – had the best political system in the world.[74] Moore was a critic of theIraq War,[75] and said "the world was a safer place whenRonald Reagan was in the White House".[76]
Moore cited his opposition tofox hunting,blood sport and capital punishment to rebut claims that he had ultra-right-wing views.[66][77] Though not a vegetarian, he held "a deep contempt for people who go out to kill merely to amuse themselves."[78] He was an animal lover, supporting many animal welfare charities (particularlyCats Protection). He had a particular affinity for cats and stated that "a catless house is a soulless house".[79]
Moore was opposed to astronomy being taught in schools. In an interview, he said:
You see, anyone who is interested in astronomy will gravitate to it, as I did. If you start teaching it as a school subject, it's going to be taught badly, like everything else these days, and enthusiasm is going to be killed.[80]
Because of his long-running television career and eccentric demeanour, Moore was widely recognised and became a popular public figure. In 1976 it was used to good effect for anApril Fools' Day spoof onBBC Radio 2, whenMoore announced a once-in-a-lifetime astronomical event that meant that if listeners could jump at that exact moment, 9.47 a.m. they would experience a temporary sensation ofweightlessness.[81] The BBC received many telephone calls from listeners alleging they experienced the sensation.[81] He was a key figure in the establishment of theInternational Birdman event inBognor Regis, which was initially held in Selsey.[82]
Moore appeared in other television and radio shows, including theBBC Radio 4 panel showJust a Minute. From 1992 until 1998, he played the role ofGamesMaster, a character who knew everything about video games, in theChannel 4 television seriesGamesMaster.[83] GamesMaster would issue video game challenges and answered questions about cheats and tips. The show's host,Dominik Diamond, said that Moore did not understand anything he said on the show but recorded his contributions in single takes.[84]
Moore was a keen amateur actor, appearing in local plays.[85] He appeared in self-parodying roles, in several episodes ofThe Goodies and on theMorecambe and Wise show, and broadcast withKenneth Horne only a few days before Horne's death.[86] He had a minor role in the fourth radio series ofThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and a lead role in theBBC Radio 1 sci-fi play,Independence Day UK in which amongst other things, Moore fills in as a navigator.[87] Among other shows, he appeared inIt's a Celebrity Knockout,Blankety Blank andFace the Music, and in theQ.E.D. episode "Round Britain Whizz".[88]
Moore expressed appreciation for the science fiction television seriesDoctor Who andStar Trek, but stated that he had stopped watching when "they wentPC - making women commanders, that kind of thing".[89] Despite this he made acameo appearance in theDoctor Who episode "The Eleventh Hour" in 2010, which wasMatt Smith's debut as theEleventh Doctor.[90] In the 1960s, Moore had been approached by theDoctor Whostory editorGerry Davis to act as a scientific advisor on the series to help with the accuracy of stories, a position ultimately taken byKit Pedler.[91]
A keen amateur chess player, Moore carried a pocket set and was vice president of Sussex Junior Chess Association.[92] In 2003, he presented Sussex JuniorDavid Howell with the best young chess player award onCarlton Television'sBritain's Brilliant Prodigies show. Moore had represented Sussex in his youth.[32]
Moore was an enthusiastic amateur cricketer, playing for the Selsey Cricket Club well into his seventies.[93] He played for theLord's Taverners, a cricketing charity team, as a bowler with an unorthodox action. Though an accomplishedleg spinbowler, he was anumber 11 batsman and a poorfielder.[94] The jacket notes to his book "Suns, Myths and Men" (1968) said his hobbies included "chess, which he plays with a peculiar leg-spin, and cricket." He played golf and won a Pro-Am competition inSouthampton in 1975.[95]
Until forced to give up because ofarthritis, Moore was a keen pianist and accomplishedxylophone player, having first played the instrument at the age of 13.[96] He composed a substantial corpus of works, including twooperettas.[97] Moore had a ballet,Lyra's Dream, written to his music. He performed at aRoyal Command Performance, and performed a duet withEvelyn Glennie.[98]
In 1998, asa guest onHave I Got News for You, he accompanied the show's closing theme tune on the xylophone and as a pianist, he once accompaniedAlbert Einstein playingThe Swan byCamille Saint-Saëns on the violin (no recording was made).[99] In 1981 he performed a solo xylophone rendition of theSex Pistols' "Anarchy in the U.K." in aRoyal Variety Performance.[100] He did not enjoy most popular music: when played ten modern rock songs by such artists asHawkwind,Muse andPink Floyd, in a 2009 interview with journalistJoel McIver, he explained, "To my ear, all these songs are universally awful."[101]
Before encountering health problems, he was an extensive traveller and had visited all seven continents, includingAntarctica; he said his favourite two countries wereIceland and Norway.[102] On 7 March 2006 he was hospitalised and fitted with apacemaker because ofcardiac dysrhythmia.[103][104]
Moore was a friend of theQueen guitarist and astrophysicistBrian May, who was an occasional guest onThe Sky at Night.[105] May bought Moore's Selsey home in 2008, leasing it back to him for apeppercorn rent the same day to provide financial security.[106] May, Moore andChris Lintott co-wrote a bookBang! The Complete History of the Universe. In February 2011, Moore completed (with Robin Rees and Iain Nicolson) his comprehensivePatrick Moore's Data Book of Astronomy forCambridge University Press. In 1986, he was identified as the co-author of a book published in 1954 calledFlying Saucer from Mars, attributed toCedric Allingham, which was intended as a money-making venture and practical joke on UFO believers;[107] Moore never admitted his involvement.
Moore believed himself to be the only person to have met the first aviator,Orville Wright, the first man in space,Yuri Gagarin, and the first man on the moon,Neil Armstrong.[108]
In March 2015, BBC Radio 4 broadcast a 45-minute play based on the life of Moore,The Far Side of the Moore by Sean Grundy, starringTom Hollander as Moore andPatricia Hodge as his mother.[109]
Moore is portrayed byDaniel Beales in theNetflix seriesThe Crown.[110][111]
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In 1945, Moore was elected aFellow of the Royal Astronomical Society (FRAS), and in 1977 he was awarded the society'sJackson-Gwilt Medal. He was also a long-time Fellow of theBritish Interplanetary Society and a member of its Council; he was the founding editor of the Society's monthly magazineSpaceflight, first published in 1956. He made the Sir Patrick Moore Medal to recognise outstanding contributions to the Society. In 1968, he was appointed anOfficer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and promoted to aCommander (CBE) in 1988. In 1999, he became the Honorary President of the East Sussex Astronomical Society, a position he held until his death. Moore wasknighted for "services to the popularisation of science and to broadcasting" in the2001 New Year Honours.[112]
In 2001, he was appointed anHonorary Fellow of the Royal Society (HonFRS) since he had been the most effective and influential writer and speaker about astronomy in the UK and for his contribution to science in the United Kingdom.[113] In June 2002, he was appointed as the Honorary Vice-president of theSociety for the History of Astronomy. Also in 2002,Buzz Aldrin presented him with aBritish Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) award for services to television.[114] He was patron ofTorquay Boys' Grammar School in south Devon. Moore had a long association with theUniversity of Leicester and its Department of Physics and Astronomy and was awarded an HonoraryDoctor of Science (HonDSc) degree in 1996 and a Distinguished Honorary Fellowship in 2008, the highest award that the university can bestow.[115]
World War II had a significant influence on Moore's life – he said his only romance ended when his fiancée Lorna, a nurse, was killed in London in 1943 by a bomb which struck her ambulance. Moore subsequently remarked that he never married because "there was no one else for me ... second best is no good for me ... I would have liked a wife and family, but it was not to be."[116] In his biography of Moore,Martin Mobberley expressed doubts over this account, as it was not possible to identify Lorna, saying that Moore told varying stories about her.[117] In his autobiography, he said that after sixty years, he still thought about her, and because of her death, "if I saw the entire German nation sinking into the sea, I could be relied upon to help push it down."[118] In May 2012, Moore told theRadio Times magazine, "We must take care. There may be another war. The Germans will try again, given another chance." He also said, in the same interview, that "the only goodKraut is a dead Kraut".[119]
Moore said he was "exceptionally close" to his mother Gertrude,[6] a talented artist who shared his home atSelsey, West Sussex, which was decorated with her paintings of "bogeys" – little friendly aliens – that she produced and sent out annually as the Moores' Christmas cards.[120] Moore wrote the foreword for his mother's 1974 book,Mrs Moore in Space.[121]
On 9 December 2012, Moore died of sepsis and heart failure,[122] at his home in Selsey, aged 89.[123] On 9 December 2014, it was reported that theScience Museum, London had acquired a large collection of his objects and manuscripts and memorabilia, includingThe Sky at Night scripts, and about 70 of his observation books, over more than 60 years, and manuscripts for astronomy and fiction books, and a 12.5-inchreflecting telescope.[124]
Moore wrote many popular books. From 1962 to 2011, he also edited the long-running annualYearbook of Astronomy and was editor for many other science books in that period. He also wrote science fiction novels for children and wrote humorous works under the pen-name R. T. Fishall.[125] The list below is therefore not exhaustive.
