Sir Patrick Moore's personal archive from more than 60 years of observing the stars to made public
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He spent more than half a century teaching the nation about the night's sky as the presenter of one of world's longest running television series.
Now Sir Patrick Moore's own private collection of manuscripts and observation logs, which chart nearly 60 years of staring at the stars, are to be made available to the public to continue his legacy.
The Science Museum in London has acquired the astronomer's extensive personal archive, which he collected at Farthings, his home in Selsey, West Sussex.
Sir Patrick Moore in 1995 with 'Oscar', his 12 ½ inch reflecting telescope that he used to map the Moon
Among the documents are notes that illustrate his contribution to our understanding of the heavens thanks to his prolific work as an amateur astronomer.
Draft scripts and memorabilia from The Sky at Night, which holds the record for the longest running television programmes with the same original presenter.
The collection also includes 70 of Sir Patrick's observation books, featuring detailed drawings and records of the night skies, alongside manuscripts for novels and astronomy books.
The Science Museum has also acquired a 12.5 inch reflecting telescope, nicknamed Oscar by Sir Patrick. He had used the telescope for mapping the Moon.
The collection also features rare photographs of Sir Patrick, who died two years ago today, at work in his study and showing his softer side while holding his cat Jeannie, taken by Brain May, the former Queen guitarist and astrophysicist.
Sir Patrick Moore captured enjoying a rare personal moment with his cat Jeannie at his home in Selsey, West Sussex, in a photograph taken by his close friend and astrophysicist, the former Queen guitarist Brian May
As a teenager in 1937, Patrick Moore made this pocket star chart to show the constellations visible at night
Sir Patrick Moore in 1995 standing outside his private observatory in his garden at Farthings in West Sussex
Planetary drawings of Jupiter made by Sir Patrick in 1971 using a 12 inch telescope (left) and a three inch telescope (right). The drawings were made on British Astronomical Association cards, an organisation he joined at the age of 11 years old and eventually became President of during his long career as an astronomer
May, who was a close friend of Sir Patrick, said: 'Patrick's friends and executors, have worked for a year to try to find the most fitting home for his core astronomical and personal archive.
'We're thrilled that the Science Museum has now agreed to give this precious resource a home.
'We're sure Patrick would be honoured that his legacy, a national treasure, will be in the perfect place - safe in Britain's top Scientific Museum, with plans for the material to be accessible to future generations.
Observational drawings of features on the surface of Mars made by Sir Patrick Moore on 16 August 1971
Sir Patrick spent many hours filling in observation notebooks in his study at Farthings in Selsey, West Sussex
Drawing of Saturn by Sir Patrick Moore made while observing the planet on April 12 and April 23 1983
'We feel there is no more fitting resting place for Patrick's legendary life's work.'
The collection consists of several hundred items, will be kept at the Science Museum's library and archives at Wroughton, Wiltshire, where it will be catalogued before being made available to the public.
Alison Boyle, deputy keeper of science and medicine at the Science Museum, said: "Sir Patrick Moore was a towering figure in astronomy and broadcasting during a remarkable career spanning most of the 20th century.
'This archive will help to inform the museum's future astronomy and space displays, and will become an important resource for all historians of popular astronomy.'
A Russian moon globe, based on photographs taken from space probes in 1959, given to Sir Patrick Moore
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