Season 6

2016 · 4 episodes

Episodes

1Episode 1Brian Cox and Dara O Briain return for another celebration of space and astronomy. This series they talk to British astronaut Tim Peake as he orbits 250 miles above the Earth. Tim reveals how he is settling into life on the International Space Station just one month after his launch into space. Brian and Dara also attempt to make a garden shed fly, as they explore what keeps the ISS in space. Roving reporter Liz Bonnin reports live from the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, where she finds out whether comedian John Bishop has the 'right stuff'. A lifelong astronomy fan, John will be following astronaut Tim Peake's training programme over three nights, starting with a live, simulated space-walk - underwater. Brian and Dara are joined in the studio by NASA scientist Carly Howett to enjoy some spectacular new views from the surface of Pluto, as well as exploring some of the biggest planets and stars in the universe. They will also be asking for your help to find new pulsars - spinning stars that are heavier than the Sun, yet smaller than Manchester. Meanwhile, Professor Lucie Green will be on hand to guide you around the night sky and to show you how to photograph the International Space Station.
2Episode 2Brian Cox and Dara O Briain return for their second night celebrating space and astronomy, with more updates from British astronaut Tim Peake as he tackles his six-month scientific mission, 250 miles above the Earth. Brian and Dara also explore the amazing engineering behind the International Space Station, demonstrating the catastrophic impact that ordinary atmospheric pressure can have on a space ship. Roving reporter Liz Bonnin reports live from the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, where she is testing whether comedian John Bishop has the 'right stuff'. A lifelong astronomy fan, John will be following astronaut Tim Peake's training programme over three nights - tonight, what happens if there is an emergency on the Space Station. Brian and Dara are joined in the studio by European Space Agency director general Jan Woerner to explore Europe's ambitions for colonising the Moon, and they reveal which parts of the UK most resemble other planets in the Solar System. They have updates from the Hubble Space Telescope on its 25th anniversary, and also from the Rosetta mission, which landed on a distant comet in 2014. Meanwhile, Professor Lucie Green is on hand to guide you around the night sky.
3Episode 3Brian Cox and Dara O Briain return for their third night celebrating space and astronomy, with more updates from British astronaut Tim Peake. This time they explore what keeps Tim and his International Space Station crew-mates safe in the hazardous environment of space. Brian and Dara also welcome a very special guest to take the gravity challenge - and find out what it would feel like to walk on Mars and the Moon. Roving reporter Liz Bonnin once more reports live from the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, where she tests whether comedian John Bishop has the 'right stuff'. A lifelong astronomy fan, John will be strapped into a giant centrifuge machine to experience how future astronauts will simulate gravity during missions into deep space. Brian and Dara are joined in the studio by Dame Jocelyn Bell-Burnell, to hear how she discovered the first pulsar star - giving astronomers all over the world one of their most precious tools for studying the universe. They also find out whether Stargazing viewers have discovered any new pulsars in their three-night search, training Jodrell's famous telescope onto them to reveal exactly what has been discovered, and how much that means to astronomers.
4Episode 4 - The SpacewalkAs British astronaut Tim Peake exits the safety of the International Space Station for his very first spacewalk, Brian Cox and Dara O Briain watch him every step of the way in this Stargazing Special. They are joined by someone with a unique insider's view and who has done this himself, astronaut and former Space Station commander Chris Hadfield. Find out about the perils that Tim is facing and what is really going on as he carries out time-critical emergency repairs in the dangerous vacuum of space.