Astronomer Sir Patrick Moore dies

[dks]

Astronomer Patrick Moore died at 89.
Very well known in the UK, at least. 

A genuine eccentric who never took himself too seriously, Moore played up to his image as a “mad professor”, and wrote more than 100 books — most of them about astronomy for a popular audience. Meanwhile, his monthly Sky at Night programme — launched on BBC Television in April 1957 — attracted millions of viewers.

On television Moore became celebrated for the thunderous fervour with which he would utter the words: “We just don’t know!” to emphasise that our comprehension of the universe is incomplete. He was noted also for his piercing gaze, the machine-gun pace of his speech, his wildly untidy hair and his oversized suits, which, as one television critic put it, “fitted him as a hangar fits a VC10”.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/science-obituaries/9732840/Sir-Patrick-Moore.html


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/9732777/Sir-Patrick-Moore-dies-aged-89.html

[Zed]

I was never a watcher of his shows but he was a very eccentric man and very well known in the world of astronomy RIP sir 

[Craig]

Sad news 

[Gareth]

I heard this earlier today, very sad news indeed.

[AimlessWanderer]

Sand news. Sir Patrick was an icon and will be remembered for many years 

[kirk13]

A genuine expert,and passionate enthusiast.He'll be sorely missed in an era of pretty talking heads!

[badwolf]

I met Sir Patrick, twice only for book signings back in 86 at a Halley's Comet talk and then again in 88... he introduced astronomy to the masses, R.I.P Sir Patrick Moore