The Sky at Night: 1979
Season 23 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of The Sky at Night Season 22.
- Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
- Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
- Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.
Episode Guide
Season 23 Progress Shield
Venus Explored
Jan 10, 1979
In December, six American and two Russian space-craft reached Venus. With its dense atmosphere, its searing hot surface and its clouds of deadly sulphuric acid, this strange planet
The Man who Mapped the Nebulae
Feb 5, 1979
All astronomers know of the catalogue of star-clusters and nebulae compiled 200 years ago by Charles Messier ; and ' hunting the M objects' is a favourite amateur pastime. Tonight
Is Life on Earth Unique?
Mar 8, 1979
Most scientists believe that intelligent life is common in the Universe. But the creation of life requires special conditions, which could be much less frequent than is usually tho
The Space Between the Stars
Apr 4, 1979
Is space empty? Astronomers used to think so, but it is now known that there is a tremendous amount of material spread between the stars. Even complex molecules are found there. Th
Voyager to Jupiter
May 2, 1979
When Voyager 1 flew past Jupiter in March of this year, it sent back results which surprised even the space-planners. The famous Red Spot was shown as a huge whirling storm, while
Looking at the Weather from Space
May 30, 1979
'Is it going to rain today?' 'Will it be a sunny weekend? ' The British are famous for discussing the weather. Its vagaries are part of our lives, and we all watch the forecasts.
X-Rays from Space
Jun 27, 1979
On 2 June the new all-British satellite, Ariel 6, was put into orbit more than 600 km above the earth's surface. Like its highly successful predecessor, Ariel 5, one of its main ta
Voyager 2 Reaches Jupiter
Jul 24, 1979
Voyager 2, the latest Jupiter probe, made its rendezvous with the Giant Planet on 9 July. Following the outstanding success of its predecessor, Voyager 1, the results were expected
The Zodiac
Aug 21, 1979
Aries, the ram ... Taurus, the bull ... Gemini, the twins ... These are three of the constellations of the Zodiac, the belt stretching round the sky in which the Sun, the Moon and
Pioneer to Saturn
Sep 19, 1979
The American probe Pioneer II. which by-passed the planet Jupiter in 1974, made the closest approach to Saturn on 1 September 1979. after a journey which has taken it right across
Observing the Sun
Oct 18, 1979
From the country, the skies are dark and the stars shine out brilliantly, but city-dwellers can never see the stars well. Fortunately the Sun can be studied telescopically, and at
The Message of Starlight
Nov 22, 1979
Not all stars are alike: some are red, some yellow and some white. These different colours show their different temperatures, and by using spectroscopes it is possible to find out
UFOs - fact or fantasy?
Dec 11, 1979
Patrick Moore and Michael Bentine discuss UFOs - fact or fantasy? What are the unidentified flying objects which have been so much in the news in recent years? Are they spacecraft