The death of Patrick Moore at the age of 89 on December 9 2012 brought out a host of warm tributes to one of the most colourful and eccentric television personalities.
As the host of The Sky at Night for so much of our lifetime, and a regular contributor on television when a space related issue emerged, he became part of the furniture of contemporary culture. Following Patrick Moore, Brian Cox seems to be taking up the mantle of being the UK’s public face of astronomy. The popularity of his documentaries and the BBC Stargazing Live shows demonstrate the continuing public interest in the night sky.
Astronomical issues
God commends astronomy (Genesis 15.5). It is God who gives the stars their names (Isaiah 40.26), and we should recognise the beauty of the constellations (Job 38.31-32; Song of Songs 6.10). However, there are a number of issues for the defence of our faith that arise with astronomy.
Comedy, free speech and warnings from the past
Hannah Arendt was a Jewish philosopher who grew up in Nazi Germany. Eventually she had to flee to France and, …