Night Sky - 10 Years of Night Sky

By 1973, Night Sky had been a familiar presence on New Zealand screens for 10 years; with astronomer Peter Read a knowledgeable, no-nonsense interpreter of developments in the space race and the stars. In this episode, Read reflects on the show’s first decade, from its first outing in June 1963 (when it was briefly called The Sky This Month). Read revisits highlights including the total solar eclipse in 1965, interviews with visiting astronauts, the first moon landing in 1969, and a visit to the United States to witness the launch of Apollo 15.

I was busily engaged in testing new aircraft as an active test pilot when I was brought to Washington for an interview — a half an hour interview — and then they asked, “Would you like to go into space?”. I was looking for the No door.

– Wally Schirra on becoming an astronaut

Key Cast & Crew

Peter Read

Presenter