BEHIND THE SCENES: CAR PARK DETONATION!

In the parking lot of ILM's Van Nuys facility during 1978, technicians film the striking explosion of the Arcta mountain and pulsar weapon, for the finale of Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part Two. I'm sure curious local residents must have enjoyed regular pyrotechnic sights like this a lot back in the day...

GALACTICA 1980: "OKAY, WHO BROUGHT THE ROBOT?"

It was The Night the Cylons Landed, of which one of its kind certainly survived crashing down to Earth, bearing a mission imperative to let the rest of the Cylon fleet know of humanity's existence on the planet.

Sadly, despite being not a bad story idea, the two-part episode (adapted into the feature movie Conquest of the Earth) was mostly played for laughs, especially as seen here, when the Centurion arrives at a Halloween party (attended by the likes of Wolfman Jack no less!) and is looked over by Val Bisoglio's character of Arnie.

CLASSIC IMAGE: COMANDEERING AN ENEMY CRAFT!

A unusual sight inside the Colonial Viper bay, as Baltar's captured Cylon Raider stands silent and non violent within it- a moment from the classic series finale episode, The Hand of God.

GOODBYE, RICHARD HATCH...

I'm deeply saddened with the news that Richard Hatch, the man who played BATTLESTAR GALACTICA's most dedicated warrior protector for humanity in Captain Apollo, has passed at the all too young age of 71, after bravely battling against pancreatic cancer.

Handsome, intelligent, articulate, a fine actor and with a devoted belief to the strengths of what made the original GALACTICA format and characters so great, Richard Hatch's charismatic presence will be hugely missed worldwide by fans, especially as we're so close to the show's Fortieth Anniversary next year.

I was very lucky to have met Richard Hatch in the UK at a GALACTICA reunion in Birmingham circa 2005, and he was as kind, gracious and dedicated as I'd hoped he would be. His original GALACTICA novels continuing the Glen A. Larson saga, with a mix of old and new generations, were consistently enjoyable, whilst his later work on the re-imagined UNIVERSAL series developed by Ronald D. Moore, where he played the calculating and resourceful political leader Tom Zarek, was always first rate- and a role that grew complex and shadowy as the series continued- a gift for an actor to make the most of and far removed from the realms of the heroic Apollo.

May God, and the Lords of Kobol, go with you and bless you, Richard. RIP. SAGA OF A STAR WORLD sends its sincerest condolences to Mister Hatch's family at this sad time.

Richard Hatch Dead: 'Battlestar Galactica' Star Was 71 | Hollywood Reporter

Richard Hatch, ‘Battlestar Galactica’ star, dead at 71 - NY Daily News

'Battlestar Galactica' Star Richard Hatch Dead at 71 | TMZ.com

CLASSIC IMAGE: "SHE'S ON FIRE..."

The view from space of the mighty Galactica crippled and ablaze from explosive-packed Cylon Raider kamikaze attacks, at the start of the popular Fire in Space.