Lucie Green
The Sky At Night (1957)
1960
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.
Released April 24, 1957
Episode 30 min
2+
Genres: Documentary, News
Keywords: tmdb.universe, mdblist.has-trailer, imdb.observation, imdb.discussion, imdb.space-exploration, imdb.science, imdb.interview
Network: BBC Four
Country: United Kingdom
Languages:
English
S4E1 - The Great Spiral
Patrick Moore talks about the Andromeda nebula, the most distant object in the heavens it is possible to see with the naked eye, and compares it with what is known of our own galaxy.
Jan. 20, 1960, midnight
S4E2 - Uranus
Patrick Moore talks about the remote and slow-moving planet which was discovered in 1781. Uranus is sixty-four times as large as the earth, and has 65,000 days in its year, which is eighty-four times as long as ours.
Feb. 17, 1960, midnight
S4E3 - Why Stars Twinkle
Patrick Moore explains how the atmosphere interferes with the astronomer's work. He discusses with Dr. Hugh Butler of the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, how a satellite could be an astronomical observatory.
March 16, 1960, midnight
S4E4 - Visitor from Space
The new comet, Burnham's, is now moving steadily closer to the earth, and should be clearly seen in late April. It will then be in the Northern part of the sky not far from the Pole Star. Patrick Moore talks about this and other comets-where they come from, what they are, and how they move.
April 11, 1960, midnight
S4E5 - Star Clouds of Sagittarius
Patrick Moore talks about the centre of our galaxy, which is so obscured by clouds of dust, gas, and interstellar haze that only radio waves come through with evidence of what lies beyond.
June 8, 1960, midnight
S4E6 - Other Moons
Patrick Moore talks about the moons of other planets in the solar system. Some planets have more than one moon and they range in size from tiny globes, twelve miles across, to giants twice as heavy as the Moon.
June 11, 1960, midnight
S4E7 - Celestial Fireworks
August is one of the best times of the year to observe shooting stars. Patrick Moore talks about meteors and meteorites, and what we know about these sudden arrivals from outside the Earth's atmosphere.
Aug. 8, 1960, midnight
S4E8 - Measuring the Universe
Patrick Moore talks to Sir Harold Spencer Jones F.R.S. The former Astronomer Royal about measuring distances which are literally astronomical. The greatest distance ever measured is that of a recently discovered galaxy whose light takes five thousand million years to reach the earth.
Aug. 30, 1960, midnight
S4E9 - Moonscape
Soon the Russians and Americans should be able to land instruments on the surface of the moon. Patrick Moore discusses with Gilbert Fielder, the Director of the Lunar Section of the British Astronomical Association, the conditions to be met with on the moon's surface and some of the problems that may be solved by a successful landing of instruments there.
[Editor's note: The original title of the episode Moonscape. The current iPlayer listing has it as The Moon.]
Sept. 27, 1960, midnight
S4E10 - Make-up of the Stars
Patrick Moore describes how the modern spectroscope has enabled astronomers to find out what different stars are made of and how bright they actually are.
Oct. 10, 1960, midnight
S4E11 - Astronomy in Russia
Patrick Moore talks about his recent visit to Russia and some of the principal observatories there.
Nov. 7, 1960, midnight
S4E12 - Tektites
These are strange glassy objects of unknown origin which are found on the surface of certain parts of the world. Patrick Moore discusses with Dr. M. H. Hey, of the Department of Mineralogy, British Museum (Natural History), the theory, which has recently been in the news, that Tektites may have originated in the moon and travelled through space to the earth.
Dec. 5, 1960, midnight
S4E14 - Episode 14
Network: BBC Four
Episode Runtime: 30 min.
Season Runtime: 25752 min.
Released: April 24, 1957
Last Air Date: Oct. 13, 2025, midnight
Status: Returning Series
Certification: TV-G / 2+
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