The magazine’s past and present editors look back at how it started, creating 200 issues and their favourite moments
Graham Southorn (pictured below) launched the magazine and was editor until issue 76 in September 2011
How did the idea for the magazine come about?
It began in 2002, when I was deputy editor of Focus (now BBC Science Focus), the popular science magazine. At that time it was covering a lot of interesting space and astronomy stories like Beagle 2 on its way to Mars, WMAP (Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe) finding clues to the Big Bang and the International Space Station (ISS) being built. So in 2003 I submitted a proposal for a space and astronomy magazine called ‘Cosmos’ and then, in 2004, when we came under the wing of BBC Magazines, my proposal was developed into BBC Sky at Night Magazine.
What were the key elements in your vision for the magazine?
I was keen for us to develop readers’ skills: beginners would be able to progress with us and become more advanced astronomers, so there would be something in it for everybody. I was also sure readers wanted to know what was the best observing equipment to buy – telescopes, binoculars and accessories. We also created the ‘Sky Guide’ to be accessible with all levels of equipment. By late 2004 the proposal had the approval of the BBC Board. Then we took the idea to Patrick Moore to get his approval.
When did you first meet Patrick Moore?
I first met Patrick in January 2005. As I was pitching an idea for a magazine of the programme he’d been doing for 48 years, it made me a little nervous! I had prepared a long speech, but I only got a few sentences out before he said, “Yes, let’s do it.” I was dumbstruck – he’d agreed to it straight away. Later, Patrick revealed that he had wanted to do a magazine for The Sky at Night for years, but for one reason or another it had never happened. I didn’t know how much he would want to do, or be able to do – he was already in his 80s then. But it turned out he wanted to do it all.
What was Patrick like to work with?
He was a joy to work with – always available on the phone and very helpful. We’d talk each month to establish the idea for his column. Then he’d fax through the copy and ring up to make sure we knew that he had sent it. I learned quickly that he had all the facts in his head. He didn’t like mistakes and he didn’t like any changes to his copy; but why would we want to when he wrote in such a conversational tone?
What events stand out for you on the magazine?
I think one of the highlights was the first Astronomy Photographer of the Year awards in 2009. It felt like a culmination of everything we were doing with ‘Hotshots’ and the start of something quite new. Then, early on, one of the team managed to get a picture of James Lovell and Fred Haise holding a copy of the magazine. To see the magazine being held by these two legendary astronauts was special.
Two other events stand out. One is the dedication of Yuri Gagarin’s statue at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, when I got a copy of our Man In Space special issue signed by Gagarin’s daughter, and the other is the celebration of The Sky at Night’s 50th anniversary at Patrick’s house in 2007. There were all sorts of celebrities there: Bill Wyman, Terry Pratchett and Myleene Klass to name just a few.
What missions did you enjoy covering?
LOFAR (Low Frequency Array) struck me as incredible: a low-cost, flat-packed radio telescope that was able to collect huge amounts of data and then reassemble that data into an image. It showed how technology can really change astronomy. A recurring mission throughout my time on the magazine was Cassini. It just kept sending back incredible images from Saturn. One of the most memorable was its July 2013 image of Earth and the Moon below Saturn’s rings.
A version of this interview originally appeared in issue 100, in September 2013.
Chris Bramley has been the magazine’s editor since issue 77, in October 2011
What changes have you introduced to the magazine?
Former editor Graham’s vision for the magazine was very well put together, and much has remained in place. What we have done is refresh the magazine and in February 2019 we created new sections, including a regular one on astrophotography to reflect the explosion of interest in taking pictures of the night sky. We also modernised the look with new fonts and design elements, getting it ready for the new decade. One of the big changes I oversaw which many regular readers will remember, the move from the covermounted CD-ROM to providing the same content online, was done through necessity. As their use fell, the time came when there was no longer a production facility which could make the number of discs we needed.
Do you have a favourite section of the magazine?
I love it all, but I especially enjoy the ‘Interactive’ section and hearing from readers, often with inspiring new takes on our hobby. I’ve also enjoyed creating practical covermounts that will be useful when readers are out observing the night sky, whether that’s posters like the Moon Map and the Meteor Shower Guide, or the planisphere. I’m pleased that we recently created the Essential Stargazing Kit, which we’re offering to new subscribers via social media at the moment. It’s full of items that give newcomers a solid start to their stargazing journey.
What kind of astronomy do you enjoy?
When time allows I like to let photons of starlight meet my eyes directly, having a particular fondness for plan ets and star clusters. I have a 4-inch Newtonian on an EQ3-2 mount, but the instrument I use most is my 5-inch Maksutov-Cassegrain on a manual altaz mount, with some high-quality eyepieces and a finderscope with a wide field of view. It’s a grab-and-go setup for those times when free moments align with clear skies, and which my kids can operate themselves (under supervision!) now they’re a bit older.
What events have been the most memorable from your time on the magazine?
Working with the Astronomer Royal Martin Rees as Guest Editor on the 10th anniversary issue in 2015 was a real privilege – such breadth and depth of knowledge. He took a great interest and chose areas to cover which showed the direction that the science would progress in the six years after.
2015 also saw a total eclipse on 20 March, which from the mainland UK was the largest partial eclipse since 1999 and for years to come. We included a pair of free eclipse glasses with that month’s issue and it was a sell-out: there were people driving to our offices to get a copy! Together with the Bristol Astronomy Society and the city’s science museum, We The Curious, we held a free eclipse-observing event in central Bristol’s Castle Park. Hundreds of people came and we gave out our eclipse glasses so they could watch safely. Just before maximum eclipse the cloudy skies cleared, and I still remember the silence that descended on the crowd as we all stared up in wonder at the crescent Sun –a magical shared experience!
Which missions have you most enjoyed covering?
I remain in awe of all the planetary missions that have taken place since issue 1, but two missions stand out. Firstly Rosetta and its Philae lander: how dramatic it was when the tiny spacecraft took two extended bounces off the surface of its cometary target before landing again! And the revelations revealed by the New Horizons mission in its flyby of Pluto were jaw dropping. It proved the value of such endeavours, and that we’ve only just begun to scratch the surface, even in a local area like the Solar System. When I think of New Horizons I recall the words of Jim Green, NASA’s Director of Planetary Science: with it, he said “Humanity has completed the initial survey of our planetary system.” That’s quite an achievement, and a solid footing for more exploration in years to come.