0:00:27 > 0:00:29Have you ever looked up at the sky
0:00:29 > 0:00:31and wondered what's going on up there?
0:00:31 > 0:00:35Up there. Up through the clouds.
0:00:35 > 0:00:39Have you ever wondered what the moon is made of?
0:00:39 > 0:00:41Why the stars twinkle?
0:00:41 > 0:00:46What it feels like to be an astronaut living in space?
0:00:48 > 0:00:52Sam and Amy have lots of questions about the moon
0:00:52 > 0:00:55and this is their moon-watching story.
0:00:56 > 0:01:02- Look, Sam, there's the moon! - Oh, yeah. I can see the moon.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06Amy and Sam are looking up at the moon in the daytime!
0:01:06 > 0:01:08Dad, what's it doing there?
0:01:08 > 0:01:11What's it doing there? It's always there.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14Sometimes you can see it and sometimes you can't.
0:01:14 > 0:01:19And that's because of the sun shining lots of light onto the moon.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21OK, let's see.
0:01:21 > 0:01:22That's a good idea!
0:01:22 > 0:01:26Using binoculars will really help Sam and Amy see the moon.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30Wow! It keeps jumping around!
0:01:30 > 0:01:34That's because you have to hold binoculars really steady.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38Come on, Sam, let's look for something to balance them on.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44There's loads of sticks around here. So many.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46Got a great one over here.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50Look at that! Fantastic.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54Just what we want. Shall we go back?
0:01:54 > 0:01:56Why on earth would a stick help?
0:01:58 > 0:01:59Put that in there.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02Amy, come over here a sec.
0:02:02 > 0:02:07Put your binoculars on top of that and see if you can see the moon.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12- Is that steady now? - Yeah, I can see the moon.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14- Is it really clear?- Yeah.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16Ah! Much better now!
0:02:17 > 0:02:19Why does the moon change shape?
0:02:19 > 0:02:24The moon doesn't change shape. It stays the same shape all the time.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26You can't always see all of it.
0:02:26 > 0:02:31Yes. The sun only lights up the side of the moon facing it.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34Sometimes we can see all of this bright side,
0:02:34 > 0:02:37but most of the time we can only see some of it.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41Everyone is making the shapes of the moon.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44Sometimes we can see a full moon
0:02:44 > 0:02:53and sometimes a gibbous moon, where we can see most but not all of it.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53"Gibbous" is a wonderful word.
0:02:53 > 0:02:54Gibbous!
0:02:54 > 0:02:57At other times, we can see a half-moon.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01We can also see a crescent moon, which looks a bit like a banana.
0:03:05 > 0:03:10- Dad, what makes the sea come in and out?- Well, it's the moon.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15- Is it the moon? - Yes, it's our friend up there, Amy.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19It's the moon which causes tides.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22Because the moon is so close, we get tides
0:03:22 > 0:03:27as it goes round the earth, moving the oceans around as it travels.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31- Isn't that amazing? - OK, guys, I think it's time to go.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35But, Dad, can we just stay to see the tide go out?
0:03:35 > 0:03:39Well, the tide's going to take an awfully long time to go out.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41- Shall we come back later?- OK.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43Let's leave out sticks here.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46Sam and Amy are pushing their sticks into the sand
0:03:46 > 0:03:49to mark the spot that the sea has reached.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51- Come on.- Let's go!
0:03:51 > 0:03:55After lunch, their sticks are exactly where they left them,
0:03:55 > 0:03:58but the sea isn't. They're taking a photo
0:03:58 > 0:04:00to show just how far the tide has gone out.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03The sea is far away.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05And the moon is nowhere to be seen.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09On the way home, they decide to arrange a visit
0:04:09 > 0:04:12to the Royal Observatory in Edinburgh
0:04:12 > 0:04:15to find out more about the moon.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19The observatory is high up on a hill above the city.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23- What do you think is up there? - Umm, I think queen lives up there!
0:04:23 > 0:04:26A queen lives up there?!
0:04:26 > 0:04:27They are going to meet
0:04:27 > 0:04:32an astronomer who can answer all their questions about the moon.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35Let's go and see what's in there, then.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37Let's go and see.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43Inside the dome, Tanya shows them an enormous telescope.
0:04:43 > 0:04:48- And open your eyes!- Cool!
0:04:48 > 0:04:52- That's a big telescope! - It IS a big telescope.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54It's a VERY big telescope.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57Astronomers use telescopes to learn about space.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00- Say "star".- Star!
0:05:04 > 0:05:09It's dark outside now, so it's time to open the door -
0:05:09 > 0:05:11there's the moon!
0:05:12 > 0:05:17Let's meet William the astronomer and see what he's going to show us.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20Hi, guys! Come and look at my telescopes.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27- So, have you ever used binoculars? - Um, yes, quite a lot.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30Sam tells William about their walk 12 days ago
0:05:30 > 0:05:35when they looked at a crescent moon through the binoculars.
0:05:35 > 0:05:40Soon it's time to look at tonight's moon through the telescope.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43Step up here, Sam, and you come round here, Amy.
0:05:43 > 0:05:48Sam, have a look through that eyepiece there. What can you see?
0:05:48 > 0:05:53- Wow! I can see the moon.- Is it looking bigger than the binoculars?
0:05:53 > 0:05:57Much bigger. And it's looking ever so white.
0:05:57 > 0:06:02The astronomer sets the telescope to see the moon even closer.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06Can you see some craters? They look a bit like big bubbles.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13- Can you see things that look a bit like mountains?- Oh, yeah.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16The moon's got mountains like on the Earth.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18Is there any water up there?
0:06:18 > 0:06:22There is a little bit. Astronomers have used spacecraft
0:06:22 > 0:06:24to go and look at the moon.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27We've landed things on it and scratched at rocks.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31There are little bits of water, but it's frozen solid,
0:06:31 > 0:06:36and there's no big bits, nothing like a big sea or a big ocean.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38There's just little frozen bits.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40Why is the moon shiny?
0:06:40 > 0:06:43It's because it reflects the sunlight.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45It's not shining on its own.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48Sunlight hits it and it comes shining down to us
0:06:48 > 0:06:50and it makes it look really bright.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06Before they know it, it's time for Sam and Amy to head home.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08What did you enjoy best about today?
0:07:08 > 0:07:12My favourite part was when we could see the moon
0:07:12 > 0:07:17through our telescope and you could see the craters on the moon.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20I can't wait to see my photos.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24- We can add them to the shot we took at the sea.- Yeah.- Good.
0:07:24 > 0:07:29Brilliant. It's time to go. Do you want to get some hot chocolate?
0:07:29 > 0:07:33- Yes!- Come on, then. Fantastic. What a great day.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37Have you ever looked up at the sky
0:07:37 > 0:07:40and wondered what's going on up there?
0:07:40 > 0:07:41Up there.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43Up through the clouds.
0:07:43 > 0:07:48Have you ever wondered what the moon is made of?
0:07:48 > 0:07:50Why the stars twinkle?
0:07:50 > 0:07:54What it feels like to be an astronaut living in space?
0:07:56 > 0:08:00Emma and Joshua have lots of questions about the stars
0:08:00 > 0:08:03and this is their stargazing story.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08Emma, what can you see in the sky?
0:08:08 > 0:08:12Blue-grey stuff. I think it's cloud.
0:08:12 > 0:08:17Josh, do you know, is there usually a star that's out in the daytime?
0:08:17 > 0:08:21The thing that looks like a star is the sun.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24Well done, Joshua. He's nearly there.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27In fact, the sun doesn't only look like a star -
0:08:27 > 0:08:29it IS a star.
0:08:29 > 0:08:36The sun is a burning hot ball that has fire flames on.
0:08:36 > 0:08:41We should never look at the sun with your eyes
0:08:41 > 0:08:45because you might hurt your eyes.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48- Can you see any stars in the sky? - No.
0:08:48 > 0:08:54- The stars only come out when the sun has gone.- Well done.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58It's because the sun stops the light.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02There are thousands of stars twinkling in the sky during the day,
0:09:02 > 0:09:05but we can't see them because they are hidden
0:09:05 > 0:09:09by the bright light of our closest star, the sun.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12What can we not see in the sky at the moment?
0:09:12 > 0:09:16The stars and the moon, because it's cloudy.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22- Can you see anything up there? - No.- What a shame.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26It's raining and we can't see any stars tonight, can we?
0:09:26 > 0:09:28How far away do you think the stars are?
0:09:28 > 0:09:33A billion miles. Infinity of miles!
0:09:33 > 0:09:38Not quite infinity! After the sun, our closest star
0:09:38 > 0:09:41is still 25 million, million miles away!
0:09:41 > 0:09:43If it's nice tomorrow,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46would you like to go on a trip to see the stars?
0:09:46 > 0:09:49- Yeah!- Do you know where it is? - Dark Sky Park.
0:09:49 > 0:09:54- Dark Sky Park. Would that be good?- Yeah.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58The Dark Sky Park in Galloway Forest is a very special place
0:09:58 > 0:10:03and perfect for stargazing because there are no lights
0:10:03 > 0:10:06except for the twinkles coming from the stars.
0:10:10 > 0:10:15Joshua and Emma, let's get ready now to go to the Sky Park.
0:10:15 > 0:10:16We're going to it now?!
0:10:16 > 0:10:21- Yeah, so let's get our coats. - I can't believe it!
0:10:32 > 0:10:35When we look up at the sky from within a town or a city,
0:10:35 > 0:10:39the light from the cars, buildings and street lamps
0:10:39 > 0:10:43light up the sky much like the sun does during the day
0:10:43 > 0:10:47making it tricky for us to see all the stars shining.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50But the Dark Sky Park is REALLY dark.
0:10:53 > 0:10:54Yay, we're here!
0:10:58 > 0:11:02- Hi, guys. Hi, kids! - Hi there!- I'm Keith.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05Do you know what I am? I'm a Dark Sky Ranger.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09I look at the stars. Can you see lots of stars up there just now?
0:11:09 > 0:11:10- No.- Why not?
0:11:10 > 0:11:13I think it's because the caravan lights are on.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17That's right. It takes a few minutes for your eyes to adjust
0:11:17 > 0:11:20so you can see the skies. We have to switch off the lights.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24Shall we do a countdown and make it go dark? You ready?
0:11:24 > 0:11:28- OK, I'll go and turn the lights off. - Fantastic.
0:11:28 > 0:11:29Start on ten!
0:11:29 > 0:11:31Hold up your fingers.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34ALL: Ten, nine, eight,
0:11:34 > 0:11:37seven, six, five,
0:11:37 > 0:11:40four, three, two,
0:11:40 > 0:11:42- one!- Out!
0:11:44 > 0:11:47Wow! I can see tons!
0:11:47 > 0:11:49I can see loads of stars!
0:11:49 > 0:11:53Because it's so dark, we are using a special camera
0:11:53 > 0:11:56to see what Joshua and Emma are up to in the Sky Park.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02You might have seen this camera used to film animals at night.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04We've been out here for a while.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07- What's the brightest star you can see?- That one.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11That one. Now, I've got something very special.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14It's a special pointer. It points out the stars.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18- Is that the one you're looking at? - Yeah!
0:12:18 > 0:12:20That's not a star! It's a planet!
0:12:20 > 0:12:23- I knew that all along! - Did you? Excellent.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26What planet do you think it is?
0:12:26 > 0:12:28- Venus?- Not Venus.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30- Jupiter!- Spot-on!
0:12:30 > 0:12:32Well done.
0:12:32 > 0:12:37It looks so, so pretty. I can't help gazing up.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41Some stars in our galaxy seem brighter than others
0:12:41 > 0:12:45because they are either closer to the Earth or they are very big.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49If you see something in the sky that's not twinkling,
0:12:49 > 0:12:50it's probably a planet!
0:12:50 > 0:12:54Does anyone know what the patterns in the sky are called?
0:12:54 > 0:12:58- They're called con... - Constellations!- That's right!
0:12:58 > 0:13:01Have you heard about the North Star?
0:13:01 > 0:13:04- Yeah!- Yeah? It's also called the Pole Star.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07It stands up there and it doesn't move very much.
0:13:07 > 0:13:12It's hard to find the North Star because it's not very bright.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16Do you know how we find it? Pointer constellations.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20There's the Plough, there's the handle of the saucepan.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23And you see these two stars there?
0:13:23 > 0:13:27That's the pointer star. And you follow that right up
0:13:27 > 0:13:31and there's your North Star. There's your Pole Star.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34Well, have you enjoyed coming out to see us tonight?
0:13:34 > 0:13:37- Yes.- Have you enjoyed seeing all the stars?
0:13:37 > 0:13:40- Yes.- Thank you, Keith. - Thanks, Keith.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43- My pleasure. Thank you for coming. - Thank you!
0:13:43 > 0:13:46- It's been amazing. - It was very amazing.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50- Shall we go back to the camper van and get some hot chocolate?- Yeah!
0:13:50 > 0:13:52Happy star-hunting!
0:13:53 > 0:13:55Bye!
0:13:58 > 0:14:00Now it's time for Joshua and Emma
0:14:00 > 0:14:03to draw pictures of what they saw in the sky.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06- Have you enjoyed this evening?- Yeah.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08What are you making here?
0:14:08 > 0:14:12That's the saucepan and that's the North Star.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15What other planets have you got on your picture?
0:14:15 > 0:14:19That's Jupiter and that's the sun.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22Shall we see if we can see any more stars?
0:14:22 > 0:14:25Shall we? Let's have a look.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38# Kelly, watch the stars. #
0:14:42 > 0:14:44Have you ever looked up at the sky
0:14:44 > 0:14:46and wondered what's going on up there?
0:14:46 > 0:14:49Up there.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51Up through the clouds.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54Have you ever wondered what the moon is made of?
0:14:54 > 0:14:57Why the stars twinkle?
0:14:57 > 0:15:03What it feels like to be an astronaut living in space?
0:15:03 > 0:15:08Dublin, Arenia and Eliana have lots of questions about space travel
0:15:08 > 0:15:11and this is their rocket story.
0:15:12 > 0:15:17Arenia and her friend Dublin are looking up at the night sky.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20Tomorrow they are meeting a real astronaut
0:15:20 > 0:15:23who's going to help them launch their rocket.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25How high do you think it will go?
0:15:25 > 0:15:28I think it will go all the way up to space!
0:15:28 > 0:15:30Mum, how high is space?
0:15:30 > 0:15:34I don't know. You'll have to ask the astronaut tomorrow.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38- Ooo! What's he doing? - He's fixing the Hubble.
0:15:38 > 0:15:43- Did aliens break it? - No, aliens are only in Doctor Who.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46- Come on! - Now it's time to get some sleep.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48- Say bye!- Bye!- Bye!
0:15:48 > 0:15:51Tomorrow is going to be a busy day.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56This is astronaut Jeff Hoffman.
0:15:56 > 0:16:01He has spent over 1,000 hours travelling in space
0:16:01 > 0:16:02in a real space rocket!
0:16:02 > 0:16:05Jeff has come all the way from America.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09Nice to meet you. My name's Jeff. I'm an astronaut.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12- And what do you have here?- A rocket.
0:16:12 > 0:16:17I've flown on rocket ships five times to go up into space.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21I don't see any name on this and every rocket has a name.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24Do you have a name for the rocket, maybe?
0:16:24 > 0:16:26The Leicester Rocket.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29The Leicester Rocket. Now that we have a name for it,
0:16:29 > 0:16:33what we really have to do is go and launch it up into the air!
0:16:33 > 0:16:36Shall we go and launch?
0:16:36 > 0:16:40- Yes!- OK, come on, launch team. Follow me!
0:16:44 > 0:16:48Jeff is showing the children how to launch an air rocket.
0:16:48 > 0:16:54He is explaining how air can be used to propel a rocket into the sky.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58It's a little bit like if I take a balloon here
0:16:58 > 0:17:00and blow it up...
0:17:02 > 0:17:07Now, when I let go, air is going to come out in this direction
0:17:07 > 0:17:10and the balloon is going to go in the other direction.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12Watch.
0:17:12 > 0:17:17Whoa! That's just like a rocket and that's what we're going to do here.
0:17:17 > 0:17:22Under Jeff's command, the children are getting ready to launch
0:17:22 > 0:17:24Leicester the air rocket.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27Agh! It's a little hard.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31- ALL:- Five, four, three, two, one.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34Fire! Wooo!
0:17:35 > 0:17:37Pow!
0:17:40 > 0:17:42It looks like it did OK.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44What's it like to go into space?
0:17:44 > 0:17:48Well, when you get into a really big rocket
0:17:48 > 0:17:51and you launch, would you like to know what it feels like?
0:17:51 > 0:17:55You're lying on your back and you count down,
0:17:55 > 0:17:56five, four, three, two, one,
0:17:56 > 0:17:59and all of a sudden it's like someone gives you
0:17:59 > 0:18:04a big kick in your back - BOOM! And it's shaking - pow!
0:18:04 > 0:18:09Like that, and it goes on for about eight minutes,
0:18:09 > 0:18:14and finally, after eight minutes, the rockets stop firing,
0:18:14 > 0:18:17and then you know what happens?
0:18:17 > 0:18:20All of a sudden you're floating!
0:18:20 > 0:18:23And it feels like you're upside down
0:18:23 > 0:18:26because the blood rushes to your head.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30And it's like you're Superman. You can just float all over.
0:18:30 > 0:18:35It's the most fun thing that I've ever done, going into space.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40And this is the kind of rocket that Jeff went to space in.
0:18:40 > 0:18:45Because of all the fire, smoke and noise coming from the rockets,
0:18:45 > 0:18:49everybody watching has to be at least three miles away to keep safe.
0:18:51 > 0:18:56Just like the big rocket, this rocket has propellant in it,
0:18:56 > 0:18:59so everyone is keeping safe by staying well back.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02- Safety officer, do we have a red light?- Yes!
0:19:02 > 0:19:07OK. Launch configuration officer, raise the safety switch cover.
0:19:07 > 0:19:12- OK, very good. Safety officer, are we go for launch?- Yes.
0:19:12 > 0:19:17- Launch configuration officer, are we go for launch?- Go for launch.
0:19:17 > 0:19:22- Launch countdown officer, are we ready to start?- Yes.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25- ALL:- Five, four, three, two, one,
0:19:25 > 0:19:26blast off!
0:19:28 > 0:19:29Wow!
0:19:29 > 0:19:32Look at it! And here comes the parachute.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37Whoa! What a great flight!
0:19:38 > 0:19:41Good launch, well done.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43Have fun in space!
0:19:43 > 0:19:46The children hurry over to the space bus
0:19:46 > 0:19:49to make a Skype call to an astronaut in America!
0:19:49 > 0:19:50Hi!
0:19:50 > 0:19:55Very nice to meet you. My name is Dr Bonnie Dunbar.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57What did you do in space?
0:19:57 > 0:20:00Well, I did research for scientists
0:20:00 > 0:20:02and engineers around the world.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06And I also helped to launch some satellites.
0:20:06 > 0:20:11What did you like best about space?
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Well, I liked looking down at the Earth
0:20:14 > 0:20:19as we go around it once every hour and a half.
0:20:19 > 0:20:24And I liked looking back at the stars and seeing the Milky Way.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27Did you sleep standing up?
0:20:27 > 0:20:29I didn't know if I was standing up,
0:20:29 > 0:20:32because I was weightless! I floated around.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36But I had a sleeping bag and I could put it on the ceiling
0:20:36 > 0:20:38or on the wall, anywhere I wanted to.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42So it didn't matter whether there was an up or a down.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45Did you go to the moon?
0:20:45 > 0:20:47No, I didn't go to the moon.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51The moon was reached before I became an astronaut.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55There are 12 American men that have walked on the moon.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57I'd always hoped to go to the moon
0:20:57 > 0:21:01while I was still an astronaut, but people will go back to the moon
0:21:01 > 0:21:05and YOU might be some of those people that go back to the moon!
0:21:05 > 0:21:07Bye! Thank you!
0:21:07 > 0:21:11You're very welcome. I enjoyed it. Thank you very much.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17After a little play it's time to fly home,
0:21:17 > 0:21:20have tea and get ready for bed.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24- What did you like doing the best? - Meeting Jeff.
0:21:24 > 0:21:28Ah, he was really nice, weren't he? We'd better get you up to bed now.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32My best bit was going on the bus and playing with the toys
0:21:32 > 0:21:37- and launching the rocket with Jeff. - That was great fun, wasn't it?
0:21:37 > 0:21:40What about you?
0:21:40 > 0:21:45My favourite bit was speaking to Bonnie on the laptop.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47Really, really good, that was.
0:21:47 > 0:21:52Come on, girls, time to get to sleep. Up we go. Good night.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00Have you ever looked up at the sky
0:22:00 > 0:22:03and wondered what's going on up there?
0:22:03 > 0:22:05Up there.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07Up through the clouds.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11Have you ever wondered what the moon is made of?
0:22:11 > 0:22:13Why the stars twinkle?
0:22:13 > 0:22:19What it feels like to be an astronaut living in space?
0:22:19 > 0:22:23Harry and Halle have lots of questions about the night sky,
0:22:23 > 0:22:27and this is their hunting the northern lights story.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30It happens in Lapland,
0:22:30 > 0:22:33which is in a country called Finland.
0:22:34 > 0:22:39Harry and Halle have come to this beautiful northern land
0:22:39 > 0:22:43at the top of the world for a very special adventure.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47They've travelled with their dads from Scotland
0:22:47 > 0:22:49to hunt for the northern lights.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52What's another name for the northern lights?
0:22:52 > 0:22:56- Aurora borealis.- That's right.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59- Can you say it?- Aurora borealis.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03What is the aurora borealis? Do you know?
0:23:03 > 0:23:08Yes, it's like a big light with all different colours inside.
0:23:08 > 0:23:13Harry is right. The northern lights are a magical display of colours
0:23:13 > 0:23:15that light up the sky at night.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19To see them it has to be very dark.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23If it's too cloudy, you won't see them at all.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27But one place you can always see the northern lights from is space.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31Wow!
0:23:31 > 0:23:37The best place on Earth to see them from is the cold and frosty north
0:23:37 > 0:23:42where Harry, Halle and these husky dogs are now.
0:23:42 > 0:23:46But it's not dark enough yet to go aurora hunting.
0:23:46 > 0:23:51- Do you think we should have a shot on the huskies?- Yeah!
0:23:51 > 0:23:53HUSKIES BARK
0:23:56 > 0:24:01Here in Lapland, people sometimes travel on special sledges
0:24:01 > 0:24:05pulled through the snow by strong husky dogs.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07What an exciting way to travel!
0:24:07 > 0:24:09That was awesome!
0:24:09 > 0:24:14- Shall we sit by the fire, get some lunch and get warmed up?- Yeah!
0:24:15 > 0:24:19It might only be lunch time, but it's about to get dark in Lapland.
0:24:19 > 0:24:24In winter, the sun starts to set here just after midday.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27Lapland is in the far north where, in the winter months,
0:24:27 > 0:24:30the sun shines on this part of the world
0:24:30 > 0:24:33for a very short while each day.
0:24:34 > 0:24:39It's looking a bit cloudy. Will they see the northern lights tonight?
0:24:39 > 0:24:43Harry and Halle don't have to wait too much longer to find out.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48It's night-time at last.
0:24:48 > 0:24:53Halle and Harry are all wrapped up, ready to start their aurora hunt.
0:24:53 > 0:24:58They travel to meet Andy. He has one of the best jobs in the world.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00He is an aurora hunter!
0:25:00 > 0:25:04Follow me and I'll show you a great place to see some auroras.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08Andy is taking Harry and Halle to a traditional Finnish tent,
0:25:08 > 0:25:11or lavvu, which is a great place to wait
0:25:11 > 0:25:13to see if you can spot auroras.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16We're not going to see the auroras tonight,
0:25:16 > 0:25:21because we have got a lot of cloud. But we'll see it another night.
0:25:24 > 0:25:28What a shame. No auroras tonight.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31It's time to get warm inside the lavvu instead.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35Tell me what you know about the northern lights.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37They've got lots of colours.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40Do you know where they come from, the aurora borealis?
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Think of somewhere a long way away from here
0:25:43 > 0:25:48up in space where you think the aurora might start from.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51- I'll give you a clue. - The sun!- Yes! It's the sun.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55So basically, the sun makes something called a solar wind
0:25:55 > 0:25:59and the solar wind travels towards the Earth
0:25:59 > 0:26:02and when it reaches the earth and the North Pole,
0:26:02 > 0:26:04it makes a very special light
0:26:04 > 0:26:08called the northern lights, the aurora borealis.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11And sometimes they can be still
0:26:11 > 0:26:15and sometimes they can be very excited and dash across the sky.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18Hopefully, Harry and Halle will see it tomorrow,
0:26:18 > 0:26:21the second night of their aurora hunt.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27- Are you ready to go aurora hunting? - Yeah!
0:26:27 > 0:26:32We've got a reasonable solar wind and some holes in the cloud.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35- Shall we go?- Yeah!- Fingers crossed. Come on, let's go.
0:26:35 > 0:26:43# You light the skies up above me
0:26:47 > 0:26:52# Don't close your eyes... #
0:26:52 > 0:26:55Would you like to come and see the aurora borealis?
0:26:55 > 0:26:59This is the moment they've all been waiting for!
0:27:03 > 0:27:06You can see a very faint light above the hill there.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08That's the aurora.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11Look! An aurora!
0:27:11 > 0:27:13Can you see green, Harry?
0:27:13 > 0:27:16Yeah. I can see it, it's getting a wee bit stronger.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19It's quite a wee bit lighter from the shed.
0:27:21 > 0:27:26- Would you like to take some pictures underneath the aurora borealis?- Yes.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31ALL: Aurora borealis!
0:27:31 > 0:27:34What a happy bunch of aurora hunters.
0:27:37 > 0:27:41After a magical night, the team settle in at Andy's studio
0:27:41 > 0:27:45to look at some more pictures of the aurora borealis.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47What do you like about this picture?
0:27:47 > 0:27:51- The wee curve in the aurora. - Above the house?- Yeah.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55That wee green bit there, and it's got that wee twisty bit.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59- It's a wee bit like a sweet. - A sweet wrapper?- Yeah.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02Halle, what do you think of this picture?
0:28:02 > 0:28:06It's like a circle cos it's a green bit and then it's a purpley bit
0:28:06 > 0:28:08and that makes it like a circle.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12It's a reddy-purple colour.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15- It is, yeah. - Kids, do you want to thank Andy
0:28:15 > 0:28:18for the lovely time we've had chasing the aurora?
0:28:18 > 0:28:22- KIDS:- Thank you, Andy! - You're very welcome.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24- Seen the Aurora! - Shall we go outside once more
0:28:24 > 0:28:28and look at the night sky to see the aurora borealis?
0:28:28 > 0:28:30- Yes.- Come on, then, let's go.
0:28:30 > 0:28:35The children have had an amazing adventure aurora hunting in Lapland.
0:28:49 > 0:28:53Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:53 > 0:28:56E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk