Join astronomer Patrick Moore and Queen’s Brian May as they observe the 2004 transit of Venus in a newly released film. Watch the movie now!
Famed astronomer Patrick Moore is shown during the 2004 transit of Venus in this screenshot from the film Patrick Moore in the Sun, available on the “Brian May Official” YouTube channel. Credit: Brian May Official
- Patrick Moore (1923-2012) held a record for the longest-running astronomy program, The Sky at Night (1957-2012), contributing significantly to astronomy popularization in the UK.
- A film documenting the 2004 transit of Venus, featuring Patrick Moore, Brian May, and other astronomy enthusiasts, is available on Brian May’s YouTube channel.
- The film’s creation and online release were spearheaded by Robin Rees, a friend of Patrick Moore and publisher of London Stereoscopic Co.
- The film provides a personal portrayal of Patrick Moore and his circle, offering a glimpse into his life and contributions to astronomy.
When you think of the great popularizers of astronomy in the past, two names stand out in particular — Carl Sagan and Sir Patrick Moore. Patrick (1923–2012) holds the world’s record for popularizing the subject; his BBC TV program The Sky at Night, the staple for those learning about the universe in the UK, was broadcast from 1957–2012, a span of 55 years. I was fortunate enough to correspond a bit with Patrick, but never met the man.Â
One of our good friends in the astronomy world, Sir Brian May — you may also know him as a guitarist and singer — was introduced and inspired into astronomy by watching Patrick, and became a close friend of Moore. Now, on Brian’s YouTube channel, Brian May Official, you can watch a heartwarming film that captures Patrick, Brian, and many other enthusiasts observing the 2004 transit of Venus across the face of the Sun. The film provides an amazing and memorable look at Patrick, his celebrated house, and his circle of friends during an important celestial event, and it runs just over 52 minutes. The film was directed and edited by Andrew Manson, with an emotional soundtrack of Patrick’s own compositions played by British pianist Neil Crossland.
The project of assembling this film and making it available has been one by another pal, Robin Rees, who was also a close friend of Patrick’s, and is the publisher of London Stereoscopic Co. This company is owned by Brian and has produced stereo images of a variety of types, including astronomical subjects, and a number of books. (I’ve been fortunate enough to work on two of those books with Brian and Robin.
In any case, I think you will enjoy watching this wonderful film, which captures precious memories of a time not too long ago, and a world in which Patrick, one of the great celebrities of the astronomy broadcasting and writing universe, shines though in his natural habitat.Â
Please enjoy it.
