The Sky at Night - 1979 (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 is overwhelmingly hostile; but it is of tremendous interest. Patrick Moore and Dr Garry Hunt talk about the findings of the space-ships, and discuss what will happen next in the exploration of Venus.

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 Patrick Moore describes Messier and some of the objects which he listed.

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 thought. Patrick Meore talks to Professor Sir Bernard Lovell who believes that life elsewhere, in the Universe is likely to be extremely rare.

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. This discovery has had a great influence upon our ideas about the formation and life-stories of the stars. In this programme Patrick Moore and Dr John Beckman, of Queen Mary College, talk about the developments which have taken place during the past five years.

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 one of the satellites, Io, a world larger than our Moon, has a brilliant red surface upon which active volcanoes can be seen. Patrick Moore and Dr Garry Hunt discuss Voyager l's remarkably successful mission.

'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. 1957 saw the start of the space age, and since then space probes have not only provided information about other planets in the solar system, but they have also studied the atmosphere and weather on Earth itself. Recently, more elaborate satellites have produced the clear pictures we see on television forecasts. Patrick Moore talks to Michael Fish about how these satellites in space have revolutionized weather forecasting.

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 tasks will be to study x-rays and cosmic rays from deep space, and it is carrying experiments from four British universities. Patrick Moore talks about this new astronomical satellite with Dr Leonard Culhane, the project scientist for the mission.

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 to be spectacular. As well as obtaining additional close-range views of Jupiter itself, Voyager 2 was scheduled to continue studies of the four large satellites of the planet. In this programme Patrick Moore and Dr Garry Hunt give the latest news from Voyager 2.

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 the bright planets are always to be found. Tonight Patrick Moore talks about the Zodiac, what it meant to the old astrologers and how it is regarded by astronomers of today.

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 the Solar System. Patrick Moore and Dr Garry Hunt discuss the first-ever attempt at surveying Saturn and the rings from close range.

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 present it is at its most active. Patrick Moore talks to Peter Gill , an amateur astronomer, who carries out his observations of the Sun by using a small telescope from the window of his third-floor London flat.

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 what materials exist there. Patrick Moore and Dr Jacqueline Mitton explain what stellar spectroscopy has told us.

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 from other worlds, as some people believe, or are they optical illusions caused by weather-balloons, satellites, ice-crystals, or other aerial objects? Patrick Moore and Michael Bentine consider the question of UFOs and try to decide what these strange phenomena could be.