The sky .....

..... At night.

This afternoon I heard the sad news that Sir Patrick Moore had passed away. Like many others my curiosity about what was going on in the night sky was fueld by watching the Sky at night programme that Patrick Moore presented for over fifty years. So this evening after work I had a walk up to Middleton to escape the light pollution of Ilkley and take in the beauty of a perfectly clear winters night sky.

Once my eyes had adjusted to the dark I could see millions of stars and even some of the brighter galaxies ( one is visible in the bottom right quater of this photo taken tonight ) I had a wonderful half an hour looking at the beauty of the stars as well as the satellites flying overhead.

Whilst I was taking photos a police van drove past and sure enough 2 minutes later it had turned around and pulled up by me. The PC drivng rolled down his window and asked what I was up to. I explained I was photography the stars and he said " well I had to ask what you were doing as you could have been staking out houses to burgle". If I was near any houses he could have had a point, but I was stood in a layby surrounded by fields whilst wearing a flourescent jacket and a headtorch and stood next to a tripod with a DSLR on it pointing up to the sky. If he'd suggested I was sheep rustling he could have had a point ;-). Unlike the last time I was stopped by the police whilst taking photos I decided it was best not to ask if he'd pose for a photo.

Anyhow, I digress. Today Britain has lost not only an eccentric TV presenter but also a talented astronomer who's maps of the moon were used in the first moon landings, and maybe more importanty someone who has inspire us to look up at the night sky and take in the wonders of the universe and beyond. So today's blip is dedicated to Sir Patrick Moore and is .....


..... The sky at night.