Death of a Supergiant

Sad news. Sir Patrick Moore, shining star of the BBC's The Sky at Night, has just died.

I grew up watching his wonderful programme and, on and off, have continued to do so. Sir Patrick ensured that, however fun the programme could be at times, it never spoke down to its audience.

It always pleased me that the BBC stuck with him, especially in recent years. It's the sort of thing that makes you sentimental about the BBC, in spite of everything.

Like Sir Patrick, I have always been biased in favour of astronomy. Another bias we share is a love for the music of Gustav Holst. I remember him extolling the beauty of Holst's strange late song Betelgeuse. Sadly, I'm unable to link to that in tribute, so please remember Sir Patrick Moore and have a listen to The Planets instead. There's a part for the xylophone in there too.

Hopefully, he'll be floating in serene happiness somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse now.