Sir Patrick Moore

[jb1970]

What next? Burial in Westminster Abbey? With a little ingenuity, the BBC might be able to arrange to have his brain, complete with electrodes and voice-synthesizer, immersed in a retort of warm nutrients, so as to squeeze, say, another five years of astro-chat out of him.
Thanks to the media, the adulation lavished on this GCSE level astronomy populariser beggars belief: a larger-than-life character, flanked by a fawning acolytes; one notable sycophant went so far as to describe this chap as "the father of English astronomy"!
Again, thanks to the media, this character virtually hijacked amateur astronomy in Britain. Some of us can't avoid thinking that, with the coming of Patrick Moore, the Muse of Amateur Astronomy lost her innocence. What was once regarded as a romantic, even slightly eccentric, scientific hobby with a strong DIY component, became first and foremost in the Moore era - a commercial proposition.

Don't get your point. That astronomy is now more popular and not an 'eccentric hobby'? He had a lot of followers? So what? Nobody actually cares what you think. You have your opinions but the way and timing of them is just idiotic. Get over yourself.

RIP Sir Patrick - you will be greatly missed by a great many people.

[orson]

David,
Whilst you are entitled to your opinion, I submit that it is not up to you to attribute
where the blame lies.
I would point out that the B.B.C. has broadcast statements that he was "a curmudgeon,
difficult, truculent and awkward to get on with".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20660908

We are seeing a certain number of low-lifes dancing on Sir Patrick's grave before he is even cold in it. One wonders who will be dancing on theirs, when nobody has even heard of them.

Can we not have a little bit of respect here? Sir Patrick was a good man, and it was his passion for what he loved most that caused many of us to be here studying and enjoying this wonderful thing called astronomy. Stella, people like you are just a bad taste in the mouth of decent folks who only want to mourn the passing of someone who meant something special to them. Why don't you just slink off into your hole and be quiet for a while? When it is decent for you and your friend Brian to do so, you can then express whatever poisonous opinions take your fancy or float your boat. We really do not wish to hear them right now.

[jb1970]

David,
Whilst you are entitled to your opinion, I submit that it is not up to you to attribute
where the blame lies.
I would point out that the B.B.C. has broadcast statements that he was "a curmudgeon,
difficult, truculent and awkward to get on with".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20660908

We are seeing a certain number of low-lifes dancing on Sir Patrick's grave before he is even cold in it. One wonders who will be dancing on theirs, when nobody has even heard of them.

Can we not have a little bit of respect here? Sir Patrick was a good man, and it was his passion for what he loved most that caused many of us to be here studying and enjoying this wonderful thing called astronomy. Stella, people like you are just a bad taste in the mouth of decent folks who only want to mourn the passing of someone who meant something special to them. Why don't you just slink off into your hole and be quiet for a while? When it is decent for you and your friend Brian to do so, you can then express whatever poisonous opinions take your fancy or float your boat. We really do not wish to hear them right now.

Unfortunately some people are too full of their own self importance to restrain from negative comments on a thread like this. There's a tribute thread running on Stargazers Lounge. Have a look at that one.

[orson]

Unfortunately some people are too full of their own self importance to restrain from negative comments on a thread like this. There's a tribute thread running on Stargazers Lounge. Have a look at that one.

Thank you for this. It's a shame we had to stand up to defend PM on this day of all days. Hopefully, these voices will no longer be heard.

[Andrew Pike]

A very sad day. RIP Patrick.

When I decided to qualify as an Astronomer it was Patrick who replied to my letter with advice (my school's careers 'experts' were worse than useless). Although he did not spark my interest in the subject, he was certainly responsible for maintaining the momentum through the years. I took his advice and I am now a qualified Astrophysicist.

Thank You Patrick.

[jb1970]

Unfortunately some people are too full of their own self importance to restrain from negative comments on a thread like this. There's a tribute thread running on Stargazers Lounge. Have a look at that one.

Thank you for this. It's a shame we had to stand up to defend PM on this day of all days. Hopefully, these voices will no longer be heard.

No problem. Ironic that it's on a forum of the SPA of which Sir Patrick was a founding member. You are right, it's sad indeed.

[nas76]

I came on here for the first time in quite a while to post about the passing of Sir Patrick and then I have to read the vitriol in this thread. Whether you liked him or not, now is not the time to spout off in that manner. Any visitors to this site and any budding astronomers would read and be put off by those comments, is that what you want.

Sir Patrick was not in the same league as chronic addicts like Amy Winehouse and plastered all over the red tops. He did his thing, his way and we all should be grateful for the contribution he made to astronomy and the unassuming (albeit eccentric) manner that he conducted himself.

RIP Patrick

[Robin Scagell]

Regarding Brian Livesey's comment (NB -- not David's, Stella), the irony is actually that if there was one person who would speak his mind whether or not it was a popular view, it was Patrick. So you could argue that Brian's comments are in that tradition. Although I would not personally 'speak ill of the dead', as Brian did, there are indeed many who crossed swords with Patrick in his heyday.

As Patrick would have said, 'If you have any complaints about what I say, please contact my solicitors, who are Chipper and Skate of Fishguard.'

Robin

[joe]

Brian's tactless comments seem to refer mostly to those associated with PM and the "media", as he puts it. Although, I'm sure that was an oversight.

[ptgrego]

What next? Burial in Westminster Abbey? With a little ingenuity, the BBC might be able to arrange to have his brain, complete with electrodes and voice-synthesizer, immersed in a retort of warm nutrients, so as to squeeze, say, another five years of astro-chat out of him.
Thanks to the media, the adulation lavished on this GCSE level astronomy populariser beggars belief: a larger-than-life character, flanked by a fawning acolytes; one notable sycophant went so far as to describe this chap as "the father of English astronomy"!
Again, thanks to the media, this character virtually hijacked amateur astronomy in Britain. Some of us can't avoid thinking that, with the coming of Patrick Moore, the Muse of Amateur Astronomy lost her innocence. What was once regarded as a romantic, even slightly eccentric, scientific hobby with a strong DIY component, became first and foremost in the Moore era - a commercial proposition.

That's quite a commentary, Brian. I can't claim to have been Patrick's greatest fan, but in my opinion your points are pretty unfair. To go over them:

1. >>What next? Burial in Westminster Abbey?<<

You know full well that this is not what is planned.

2. >>With a little ingenuity, the BBC might be able to arrange to have his brain, complete with electrodes and voice-synthesizer, immersed in a retort of warm nutrients, so as to squeeze, say, another five years of astro-chat out of him.<<

Now that's a rather silly speculation.

3. >>Thanks to the media, the adulation lavished on this GCSE level astronomy populariser beggars belief: a larger-than-life character, flanked by a fawning acolytes; one notable sycophant went so far as to describe this chap as "the father of English astronomy"!<<

How the media responded to Patrick was generally not of his making. I don't think that he went out of his way to court publicity. Agreed, he has had his fair share of sycophantic admirers who have waxed hyperbolically about him -- but tell me what other successful TV personality hasn't had groupies?

4. >>Again, thanks to the media, this character virtually hijacked amateur astronomy in Britain. Some of us can't avoid thinking that, with the coming of Patrick Moore, the Muse of Amateur Astronomy lost her innocence. What was once regarded as a romantic, even slightly eccentric, scientific hobby with a strong DIY component, became first and foremost in the Moore era - a commercial proposition.<<

He hijacked nothing, not even virtually. He did his best to popularise amateur and professional astronomy. What's this 'innocence' of which you speak? And the 'romance' of space is in the eye of the beholder, in the mind of the percipient. You make your own romance, experience your own thrills and transcendence. I don't think that Patrick was much responsible for the commercialisation of astronomy, but even if he was, commercialisation has many good points and we are all beneficiaries.

Nobody is perfect, and Patrick had many failings. But you haven't touched on any of those!

0/10, Brian -- go to the back of the class -- no, sorry, come to the front because you're now a lap behind!

[Robin Scagell]

Regarding my earlier post, I want to make it clear that I don't agree with or condone Livesey's posting, but I don't want to censor it as I could have done. As I have said, Patrick himself was no stranger to controversy, and he was nothing if not outspoken, whether or not it was appropriate or indeed generally acceptable.

If you have a Forum, you have to accept a range of views. There are enough appreciative comments of Patrick here to more than show how people feel.

Robin

[Paul Sutherland]

Brian, whatever your views, I think they are entirely inappropriate at a time when many people are mourning the loss of someone who inspired many in astronomy, and your comments say more about you than about Patrick.

I am saddened to see such a post on this board, but heartened to see so many positive responses from others.

Paul

[Tetenterre]

I will always be grateful to Sir Patrick, who is one of the two (the other being Sir Fred Hoyle) who inspired my passion for astronomy. In the early hours of this morning as I was observing with binoculars in my garden, I took time to pause and remember this great man.

I have three abiding memories of the last time I met him (22 years ago, when I was making a BBC Radio 4 "Punters" piece on light pollution, to which he gave freely of his time): the first was a certain "reactionary" nature (and I think it is important to acknowledge this, but agree that this is not the time to dwell on it), but this was easily eclipsed by the second: his great warmth and generosity of spirit. The third is the pain in my foot as he stood on it as we were backing out of his octagonal observatory!

[mike a feist]

I fail to understand the vitriol of Brian's posting about PM considering all the sad celebrity rubbish on TV nowadays.
I liked his eccenticity and the fact that he would always answer questions that one wrote to him ( I still have a couple of the cards!). The FTAG sent him a birthday card once and he even replied to that with thanks...no knowing the return address in detail he labelled it as best he could and wrote a note on it to the prostman say something like "please try and locate this". I spoke to him on the telephone occasionally starting way back in the 1960s as a lad and on and off thereafter ( and no doubt I was one of hundreds ). The last time I spoke to him on the telephone was a few years ago from the Foredown Tower pointing out that yet again a newspaper had incorrectly called him an astrolger! At least they got it right today!The really exciting programme was the live TV which was shown the solar eclipse from Mount Jastrebac (spelling may be incorrect) before going to school...unknown it those days! and who could forget the attempt at live using George Hole's huge telescope? And so on and on.......maf

[Leslie Ewan]

Although I no way condone Brians comments which were pretty insulting,but the fawning acolytes bit Im in some agreement with.Im not talking about Pete Lawrance or Chris Lintott as they have the neccessary astronomic and broadcasting skills to carry on the S@N programme into the future.They needed to brought in over the last few years as Patricks health failed.However the appearances of 'celebs' likes of Brian May and Terry Pratchett I find very irratating,and Lambit Opik turning up with one of the Cheeky Girls on the 50th anniversary programme really sickened me. .However Patrick probably had next to no influance on the show by that time.
It has to be said in his last 10 or so years he was getting a bit batty,and I had serious issues with his extreme right wing veiws.Although much of what he said was largely brushed off with some amusment as the ramblings of a old cumudgeon.But where would the amateur astronomical community be now without his collossal influance?-I dont know but its safe to say wouldent be in pink and healthy state its in now thats for sure.