Space scientist Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock is to join the presenting team on The Sky At Night, it was announced today.

She will join existing presenter astrophysicist Dr Chris Lintott when the series returns in its new half-hour slot on BBC Four in February.

Dr Aderin-Pocock is a research fellow at the University College London Department of Science and Technology Studies and an honorary research associate in the Physics and Astronomy Department. Her TV career includes presenting BBC Two's Do We Really Need The Moon? and Do We Really Need Satellites? as well as regular appearances on BBC One's The One Show.

It was feared the long-running astronomy series - which began in April 1957 - would be axed after the death of its host Sir Patrick Moore last December, but it was reprieved after a massive campaign.

Commenting on her new role, she said: The Sky At Night became the longest-running programme with the same presenter in television history.

Over the past year, it has been fronted by a team of regular reporter/presenters, who will continue to appear in the future.

Executive producer Jonathan Renouf said: Cassian Harrison, the editor of BBC Four, said:

Record-setting astronomy TV series The Sky At Night is to continue following a campaign to save the BBC show.

However, it will lose its 20-minute slot on BBC One and will move to BBC Four, where it is currently repeated in a 30-minute format.

Following the death last year of presenter Sir Patrick Moore, it was feared that the programme - which was first broadcast on 24th April 1957 - would be axed when last month the BBC said its future was being reviewed. That sparked a massive protest, with an online petition garnering more than 52,000 signatures.

Now the BBC has announced that the monthly programme will first air on BBC Four in a half-hour slot from February 2014, with repeats on BBC Two.

Kim Shillinglaw, the head of commissioning for BBC Science and Natural History, said: Cassian Harrison, BBC Four's editor, commented: Moore presented the show from its start to his death and only missed one edition in July 2004 - because of food poisoning - making it the longest-running programme with the same presenter in TV history. The series has been fronted by a team of presenters since Moore's death, including Jon Culshaw, Dr Chris Lintott, Dr Lucie Green, Dr Chris North, Dr Paul Abel, and Pete Lawrence. It is yet to be decided who will present it when it comes back.

Following the announcement of its reprieve, Culshaw tweeted: The next edition will be on Monday 4th November at 12.30am (except Scotland, when it will air at 1.15am). It will be off air in January, when the slot will be taken by the BBC Two astronomy show Stargazing Live, hosted by Professor Brian Cox and Dara O Briain.