Patrick Moore

This article is about Patrick Moore, the astronomer. See also Patrick Moore (environmentalist).

Biography

Moore was born in Pinner in Middlesex, and grew up in Sussex, where he was educated at home because of poor health. It was during this time that he first developed an interest in astronomy.

Related Topics:
Pinner - Middlesex - Sussex - Astronomy

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During the Second World War, he served as a navigator in RAF Bomber Command. Moore's only known relationship ended when his fiancée, a nurse, was killed when a bomb fell on her ambulance.

Related Topics:
Second World War - RAF Bomber Command

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At the end of the War, Moore continued to observe the Moon using the home-made reflecting telescope in his garden, eventually leading him to become a specialist in lunar observation.

Related Topics:
Moon - Reflecting telescope - Lunar

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In 1957 he began presenting the television series that made him famous, and which has appeared every month since, with the exception of July 2004, making him the world's longest running television presenter.

Related Topics:
1957 - July 2004 - Television presenter

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In 1959, the Russians used his charts to correlate their first pictures of the far side of the Moon; he was involved in the lunar mapping used by the NASA Apollo space missions. His TV programme has popularised astronomy in the UK and beyond and, through his writing Patrick Moore has influenced several generations of astronomers.

Related Topics:
1959 - Russians - NASA - Apollo - Space missions

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From 1965 to 1968 Patrick Moore was the Director of the Armagh Planetarium.

Related Topics:
1965 - 1968 - Armagh Planetarium

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For a time during the 1970s Moore was the Chairman of the anti-immigration United Country Party. He held this position until the party was absorbed by the New Britain Party in 1980. He is also a long-standing opponent of fox hunting.

Related Topics:
1970s - United Country Party - New Britain Party - 1980 - Fox hunting

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Moore received the Jackson-Gwilt Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1977, and the Klumpke-Roberts Award of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific in 1978.

Related Topics:
Jackson-Gwilt Medal - Royal Astronomical Society - 1977 - Klumpke-Roberts Award - Astronomical Society of the Pacific - 1978

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In the early 1990s he appeared as the disembodied Gamesmaster in the Channel 4 video game gameshow GamesMaster.

Related Topics:
1990s - Channel 4 - Video game - Gameshow - GamesMaster

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Patrick Moore has written the occasional science fiction novel. In 1977 he published the first in his Scott Saunders Space Adventure series, aimed primarily at a younger audience (in a similar way to Asimov's Norby series). This series eventually ran to six novels. In 2001, Patrick Moore discussed his Scott Saunders novels in a notable appearance on the Channel 4 comedy programme, The Pooters, which also featured Charlie Skelton and Alan Connor.

Related Topics:
Science fiction - 1977 - Asimov - Channel 4

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He had also earlier written a series of novels based on the first arrivals on Mars, including Mission to Mars and The Voices of Mars.

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In 2001 Patrick Moore received a knighthood from the Queen, became a fellow of the Royal Society and won a BAFTA for his services to television. Asteroid 2602 Moore is named after him.

Related Topics:
2001 - Knighthood - The Queen - Royal Society - BAFTA - Asteroid - 2602 Moore

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Patrick Moore is also responsible for the book and score for the musical play ', which was performed in 2002 by members of the Cambridge University Astronomical Society ( CUAS ). The play is a spoof on the life and works of Galileo Galilei.

Related Topics:
2002 - Cambridge University - CUAS - Galileo Galilei

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In July 2004 he was named in the Radio Times list of the top 40 most eccentric TV presenters of all time.

Related Topics:
July 2004 - Presenter

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