In this special programme to mark the 25th anniversary of The Sky at Night, Patrick Moore reports on what's happening at great observatories all over the world; he talks to space researchers and 'ground-based' astronomers, and his journey round the world took him from the top of Mauna Kea, at 14,000 feet above sea-level, to one mile down a goldmine in South Dakota.  This is a report not only upon what has happened in the past, but also a look ahead to the future, with the Space Telescope and other developments undreamed of when the first Sky at Night was transmitted.

The Unfolding Universe

The Depths of Space

When Planets Loop the Loop

Yesterday evening there was a lunar eclipse. The moon passed fully into the earth's shadow from 7.15 until 8.35 pm and the eclipse should have been seen well from all over Britain and, weather permitting, from the special camera on top of Television Centre. Patrick Moore talks about eclipses, and describes some of the other features of the January night sky.

The Winter Sky

Venus has always been a planet of surprises, and very recently the Pioneer spacecraft orbiting the planet have provided some more. There is evidence of current active volcanoes, very similar to those on Earth, and it seems that in the distant past (when the Sun was cooler than at present) Venus may have sustained life, only for it to be destroyed as the Sun grew hotter, changing the 'Planet of Love' into an inferno.  Patrick Moore discusses how our knowledge of Venus has changed in view of these exciting new discoveries.

The Changing Face of Venus

Close to the brilliant star Capella, in the constellation of Auriga, there is a particularly interesting star, Epsilon Aurigae. We know it is made up of two stars, but we can only see one directly. The mysterious companion is invisible, but can be detected by infra-red. It may be the largest star known to science-or, just possibly, it might be what is known as a 'black hole'. This summer the companion is due to pass in front of the visible star, so that astronomers will be doing all they can to find out just what it really is.  Patrick Moore talks to Heather Couper who has made a special study ef this strange object.

The Largest Star?

During evenings in April three bright planets-Mars, Jupiter and Saturn - are very conspicuous, with Venus still prominent in the east before dawn. Patrick Moore explains how these planets move, sometimes apparently ' looping the loop', and gives details of the latest Russian flights to Venus as well as describing the spring stars and constellations.

Astronomers in Australia have just discovered an object which may be the most remote and luminous known to man. It is a quasar, apparently 13,000 million light years from us. Yet some astronomers have their doubts and believe that there have been serious errors in interpretation.  Patrick Moore talks about the quasar problem and sums up what we have so far found out about these remarkable objects.

La Palma, in the Canary Isles, is a picturesque place. It is also ideal as a site for large telescopes, and it is here that a major observatory is being established. It is linked with the Royal Greenwich Observatory, and the project scientist is Dr Paul Murdin. Patrick Moore reports from La Palma, giving the latest news of the huge telescopes to be set up there and talking to DR MURDIN and Professor Alec Boksenberg , Director of the Royal Greenwich Observatory.

La Palma: a New Observatory

Is there a new planet in the solar system? Many astronomers believe that there is a massive body beyond Neptune, the outermost of the main planets now known: it could be a planet, but it might also be a dark star or a black hole. The movements of the two Pioneer space-craft now on their way out of the solar system may provide valuable clues. Patrick Moore gives an up-to-date report.

The Hunt for the Tenth Planet

Siding Spring Mountain in New South Wales is the site of one of the world's most sophisticated observatories. All the southern sky is available for study, and the AAT, or Anglo-Australian Telescope, has already been used to make major discoveries.

Patrick Moore visits the observatory, and talks about the work there with David Malin and Dr David Allen.

Siding Spring

Why are some galaxies, such as ours, spiral in form like huge Catherine wheels, and why are stars born inside these arms? Patrick Moore and Dr John Beck -man of Queen Mary College talk about the mysteries of spiral galaxies, and how the massive, powerful stars inside the arms affect the whole course of the history of our own galaxy and other systems.

The Mystery of the Spiral Arm

Can comets have collided with the earth? According to a new theory by Dr Clube and Dr Napier from the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, collisions can happen, and it was one such event which wiped out the dinosaurs over 60 million years ago. Dr Clube and Patrick Moore discuss these surprising theories.

The Cosmic Serpent

Less than four years after Neil Armstrong made his 'one small step ...', Commander Eugene Cernan became the last man on the moon. In December 1972 when Challenger, the lunar module of Apollo 17, lifted off from the moon carrying Commander Cernan and his colleague Jack Schmitt , the first phase of lunar exploration was at an end. Now, ten years later, Eugene Cernan relives his experiences of that epic 13-day trip, and talks to Patrick Moore about what he believes the Apollo missions mean to mankind.

The Last Man on the Moon

Your monthly journey through the fascinating world of space and astronomy with the latest thinking on what's out there in space and what you can see in the night sky.

The Unfolding Universe

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Season 26 Episodes12

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