The Sir Patrick Moore Bust
11 February 2022 to 05 March 2022
11.00 to 16.00
On display from 8 February to 5 March 2022
To celebrate the South Downs Dark Skies Festival 2022 (11 – 27 February) we will be displaying a life-size bust of celebrated local astronomer Sir Patrick Moore in the museum. Created by renowned local sculptor Vincent Gray MAcert MRSS, the bust was originally displayed in Waterstone’s to raise money for vital equipment to furbish the Chichester Planetarium.
The Sir Patrick Moore Bust first went on display in 2003 with the view to raising money for the then newly opened South Downs Planetarium.
An article in the Chichester Observer reported that vital equipment was needed to furnish the planetarium.
On reading this I chose to get involved.
I approached Sir Patrick Moore asking if he would be kind enough to sit for a portrait bust with a view to using the bronze portrait to generate funds for the planetarium.
He agreed and after several sittings the portrait was cast and put on display in Waterstone’s Bookshop in Chichester, raising £550 by donation towards equipping the planetarium.
A cheque for this amount was handed to Sir Patrick at a gala evening in Waterstone’s.’ – Vincent Gray MAcert MRSS
