The Sky at Night - Season 26 / Year 1982

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Episodes

Year 1982Episode 120 min

The Winter Sky

Patrick Moore talks about lunar eclipses, looking in particular at the eclipse of 6 January 1982, and describes features in the January night sky.

The Changing Face Of Venus

Year 1982Episode 230 min

The Changing Face Of Venus

Venus has always been a planet of surprises, and very recently the Pioneer spacecraft orbiting the planet have provided some more. There is evidence of current active volcanoes, very similar to those on Earth, and it seems that in the distant past (when the Sun was cooler than at present) Venus may have sustained life, only for it to be destroyed as the Sun grew hotter, changing the 'Planet of Love' into an inferno. Patrick Moore discusses how our knowledge of Venus has changed in view of these exciting new discoveries.

The Largest Star?

Year 1982Episode 330 min

The Largest Star?

Close to the brilliant star Capella, in the constellation of Auriga, there is a particularly interesting star, Epsilon Aurigae. We know it is made up of two stars, but we can only see one directly. The mysterious companion is invisible, but can be detected by infra-red. It may be the largest star known to science-or, just possibly, it might be what is known as a 'black hole'. This summer the companion is due to pass in front of the visible star, so that astronomers will be doing all they can to find out just what it really is. Patrick Moore talks to Heather Couper who has made a special study ef this strange object.

When Planets Loop The Loop

Year 1982Episode 430 min

When Planets Loop The Loop

During evenings in April three bright planets-Mars, Jupiter and Saturn - are very conspicuous, with Venus still prominent in the east before dawn. Patrick Moore explains how these planets move, sometimes apparently ' looping the loop', and gives details of the latest Russian flights to Venus as well as describing the spring stars and constellations.

The Unfolding Universe (25th Anniversary)

Year 1982Episode 530 min

The Unfolding Universe (25th Anniversary)

In this special programme to mark the 25th anniversary of The Sky at Night, Patrick Moore reports on what's happening at great observatories all over the world; he talks to space researchers and 'ground-based' astronomers, and his journey round the world took him from the top of Mauna Kea, at 14,000 feet above sea-level, to one mile down a goldmine in South Dakota. This is a report not only upon what has happened in the past, but also a look ahead to the future, with the Space Telescope and other developments undreamed of when the first Sky at Night was transmitted.

The Depths Of Space

Year 1982Episode 630 min

The Depths Of Space

Astronomers in Australia have just discovered an object which may be the most remote and luminous known to man. It is a quasar, apparently 13,000 million light years from us. Yet some astronomers have their doubts and believe that there have been serious errors in interpretation. Patrick Moore talks about the quasar problem and sums up what we have so far found out about these remarkable objects.

La Palma - A New Observatory

Year 1982Episode 730 min

La Palma - A New Observatory

La Palma, in the Canary Isles, is a picturesque place. It is also ideal as a site for large telescopes, and it is here that a major observatory is being established. It is linked with the Royal Greenwich Observatory, and the project scientist is Dr Paul Murdin. Patrick Moore reports from La Palma, giving the latest news of the huge telescopes to be set up there and talking to DR MURDIN and Professor Alec Boksenberg , Director of the Royal Greenwich Observatory.

The Hunt For The Tenth Planet

Year 1982Episode 830 min

The Hunt For The Tenth Planet

Is there a new planet in the solar system? Many astronomers believe that there is a massive body beyond Neptune, the outermost of the main planets now known: it could be a planet, but it might also be a dark star or a black hole. The movements of the two Pioneer space-craft now on their way out of the solar system may provide valuable clues. Patrick Moore gives an up-to-date report.

Year 1982Episode 930 min

Siding Spring

Siding Spring Mountain in New South Wales is the site of one of the world's most sophisticated observatories. All the southern sky is available for study, and the AAT, or Anglo-Australian Telescope, has already been used to make major discoveries. Patrick Moore visits the observatory, and talks about the work there with David Malin and Dr David Allen.

The Mystery Of The Spiral Arm

Year 1982Episode 1030 min

The Mystery Of The Spiral Arm

Why are some galaxies, such as ours, spiral in form like huge Catherine wheels, and why are stars born inside these arms? Patrick Moore and Dr John Beck -man of Queen Mary College talk about the mysteries of spiral galaxies, and how the massive, powerful stars inside the arms affect the whole course of the history of our own galaxy and other systems.

The Return Of Halley's Comet

Year 1982Episode 1130 min

The Return Of Halley's Comet

The Cosmic Serpent

Year 1982Episode 1230 min

The Cosmic Serpent

The Last Man On The Moon

Year 1982Episode 1330 min

The Last Man On The Moon

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