Long-running BBC astronomy series The Sky At Night may be axed

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The long-running, once-a-month BBC astronomy series The Sky At Night could be axed at the end of the year.

The BBC confirmed yesterday that discussions are currently ongoing over the future of the show, which is scheduled to run until the end of the year.​

The late-night monthly series was first aired on 24th April 1957 and was presented by World War II RAF veteran and UKIP activist Sir Patrick Moore until his death on 9th December 2012 at the age of 89. The last episode that he presented was the one for January 2013.

Sir Patrick presented a total of 721 episodes, only ever missing one broadcast - for July 2004 - when he was taken ill with a severe bout of food poisoning. This made it the longest-running programme with the same presenter in television history.​

As well as covering general astronomical and space-related topics such as black holes and meteor showers, the programme has also covered the Apollo Moon landings of 1969 and the UK’s total solar eclipse in 1999.​

Axed: Sir Patrick Moore's famous astronomy show The Sky At Night could be pulled from our screens by December. Sir Patrick hosted every episode of the series since it first started in April 1957 until his death in December 2012, apart from just one episode in July 2004​

When the show first began, Sir Patrick was paid 25 guineas for each 15-minute episode (it later became 30 minutes per episode). This may sound paltry to modern standards but it was equivalent to £550 for each show today.​

Explaining the show’s enduring appeal, Moore said: ‘Astronomy’s a fascinating subject. You look up, you can’t help getting interested and it’s there. We’ve tried to bring it to the people. It’s not me, it’s the appeal of the subject.’​

As well featuring many of the world’s leading astronomers, such as Fred Hoyle, Carl Sagan, Sir Bernard Lovell and Astronomer Royal Sir Martin Rees, other high-profile guests have included Arthur C. Clarke, Buzz Aldrin, Eugene Cernan, Piers Sellars and Neil Armstrong. ​

Since Sir Patrick’s death in December, the show has since been presented by solar researcher Lucie Green and University of Oxford astrophysicist Chris Lintott. Lintott was Sir Patrick's co-presenter of the show. In recent years, ratings for the programme hovered around the 500,000 mark.​

Since Sir Patrick's death, The Sky At Night has been presented by Lucie Green and the show's former co-presenter Chris Lintott, 33. Lintott first appeared on the show as a guest in 2000, eventually become co-presenter as Sir Patrick's mobility deteriorated. He presented the July 2004 episode when Sir Patrick was ill..​

A spokesman said last night: ‘Sky at Night is on air until the end of the year. Plans for subsequent series are being discussed.’​

By last night thousands of furious fans had taken to Twitter to try and save the programme from being taken off the air. Hundreds had signed an online petition pleading with BBC bosses not to axe the long-running show.​

Long-standing: The programme was presented by Moore, pictured here on the show in 1961, from 1957 until he died in 2012​

David Smith wrote: ‘All but officially announced the BBC is cancelling The Sky at Night. Would the last non-celeb science show please turn out the lights?’​

Steve Walker said: ‘The decision to axe The Sky at Night is an insult to the legacy if the program. Shame on you BBC.’ Another wrote: ‘Why would you want to scrap it, BBC? Please, please, please don’t scrap The Sky At Night. Just don’t. Please.’​

The series began before the ‘space age’ - but the launch of the world’s first man-made satellite, Sputnik 1, saw interest in astronomy grow.​

The BBC first commissioned the series in 1957, with senior producer Paul Johnstone choosing Moore, a well-known author of astronomy books, as his presenter. At the time he was paid 25 guineas per fifteen-minute episode.​

Legend: Moore was paid just 25 guineas per 15-minute episode of the show when it began in the fifties​

This included a £21 appearance fee and a £5 payment - £550 in today’s money - for ‘provision of materials’ including photographs and diagrams which were used in the broadcast.​

Moore had been fascinated by astronomy from the age of six after picking up a book on the subject belonging to his mother. By the age of 11, Moore was elected to the British Astronomical Association - 50 years later, he would become its president.​

Royal Astronomical Society spokesman Peter Bond has previously told that The Sky at Night had inspired a generation of astronomers.​

‘Just about everybody who’s involved with astronomy started out thanks to Patrick - he’s a kind of figurehead for astronomy in this country,’ he said.​

‘I bought my first astronomy book in the 1950s and it was written by Patrick - I think The Sky At Night had just started at that time.’​

THE SKY AT NIGHT HONOURS​

In 2007 the International Astronomical Union celebrated the 50th anniversary of the show by naming asteroid 57424 Caelumnoctu (the number referring to the first broadcast date and the name being Latin for "The Sky at Night").

In February 2007, the Royal Mail issued a set of six astronomy stamps to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the programme.

In the Guinness Book of World Records, Patrick Moore is listed as the most prolific presenter in the world, having hosted all but one episode of the programme between 1957 and January 2013

Read more: The Sky At Night could be cancelled just a year after Sir Patrick Moore's death | Mail Online​