Stargazing Live - Episode 1

Today on Far Future Horizons we present the first episode of a BBC series devoted to Astronomy which aired in January 2011 - Stargazing Live.

Stargazing Live is a British live television program  on astronomy that was first broadcast for three evenings on BBC Two between 3 and 5 January 2011, with a second series broadcast between 16 and 18 January 2012, a third series between 8 and 10 January 2013, a fourth series between 7 and 9 January 2014, a fifth series from March 18 and March 20, 2015, and now between January 12 and January 15, 2016. The series is primarily presented by scientist Brian Cox and comedian and amateur astronomer Dara Ó Briain with support from TV presenter and biochemist Liz Bonnin and astronomer Mark Thompson. It is broadcast from Jodrell Bank Observatory[ and has featured live links from scientific facilities in Hawaii, South Africa, Norway and NASA.

The series is primarily presented by scientist Brian Cox and comedian and amateur astronomer Dara Ó Briain with support from TV presenter and biochemist Liz Bonnin and astronomer Mark Thompson. It is broadcast from Jodrell Bank Observatory[ and has featured live links from scientific facilities in Hawaii, South Africa, Norway and NASA.

The first series was scheduled to coincide with the partial Solar eclipse of January 4, 2011, a conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus, and the Quadrantid meteor shower. It also featured Jonathan Ross learning how to spot planets, and a discussion with the International Space Station.

Scientific advisors for the first series included Dan Hillier, manager of the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, visitor center.

To coincide with both series of the show, hundreds of Stargazing Live events were run across the UK, including star parties and 'sidewalk astronomy' sessions. Many of these events were organized by local astronomy societies and universities.

The show returned for a second series on 16-18 January 2012. The first episode had a theme about the moon, including a live interview with 'the last man on the moon, Apollo 17 astronaut Eugene Cernan. The second episode had a focus on black holes, and the third on the possible existence of extra-terrestrial life.  Each episode included different guests, such as impressionist and amateur astronomer, Jon Culshaw on the second night. The final episode also included a feature titled the "Great Big Dulverton Switch Off" where every light in the town of Dulverton, Somerset was switched off live on TV to highlight the issue of light pollution.

The second series was a co-production with the Open University, with OU science consultants Dr Andrew Norton, Dr Dave Rothery and Dr Stephen Serjeant.

The Daily Mail back in January, 2012 reports that in the United Kingdom there was  500% increasein telescope sales a steep rise in the number of students  taking A-Level maths, physics and chemistry.

During the 2012 series, viewers were encouraged to help locate possible exoplanets, planets orbiting stars outside the Solar System, by volunteering some time on the Planet Hunters online citizen science project. This led to the discovery of a new Neptune-sized exoplanet by two amateur astronomers, one in Peterborough, England, to be named Threapleton Holmes B.

In the first episode of Stargazing Live, Jonathan Ross is shown how to use a telescope. Brian explains why planets are spheres. Hawaii becomes home to Liz, who tells us about Mars and Mark gives tips on how to take brilliant night photographs.

Stargazing Live Episode 1 

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