Heaven's New Star: Sir Patrick Moore

Legendary British Astronomer Sir Patrick Moore has passed away at the age of 89. 
Moore, who was unmarried and without children, died surrounded by friends, family and his cat Ptolemy at his home; he had an infection and his stay at hospital last week was unsuccessful.

Moore was born in 1923 in Pinner,Middlesex and shortly after, moved to Sussex where he spent his life. Due to heart problems at a young age, he was home schooled but from this, he developed an interest in astronomy from GF Chambers' book, "The Story of the Solar System". By the age of 11 he became the youngest member of the British Astronomical Association, by 13 he wrote a paper on craters on the moon,by 14 he ran a small observatory as his mentor (who previously ran the observatory) died in a car accident. At the age of 16 he began wearing his trademark monocle as one eye was weaker than the other, and by 19 he had a full set of dentures. 

Moore lied about his age during World War II so he could join the RAF at the age of 16;he eventually became a flight lieutenant after training in Canada and met Albert Einstein and Orville Wright while on leave in New  York.  It was during the war he met the love of his life Lorna before she tragically died after the ambulance she was driving was bombed. Moore continued being sore about this, with statements such as: 'if I saw the entire German nation sinking into the sea, I could be relied upon to help push it down' and 'the only good Kraut is a dead Kraut'

Moore turned down a scholarship to Cambridge twice; the first time due to the war and the second due to wanting to stand on his 'own two feet'

Since his first book in 1952, "Guide to the Moon"  (retitled "Patrick Moore on the Moon") Moore used a 1908 Woodstock typewriter for all of books; he could type at 90 words per minute with two fingers. Moore was also a keen chess player, cricketer,golfer,violinist,pianist and xylophone player.


At the age of 63 Moore became President of the British Astronomical Association, in 1968 he became an OBE and in 1988, a CBE. He was knighted in the 2001 New Year list "for services to the popularisation of science and to broadcasting". Moore's weekly show "The Sky at Night" broadcast for 55 years, being the longest-running show to have the same presenter; only missing one episode when Moore had a near fatal bout of food poisoning in 2004.

First the Rocket Man Neil Armstrong and now the Silver Surfer Moore, 2012 is not a good year for celebrities. Rest in Peace