0:00:28 > 0:00:33Good evening, and first of all, a very happy New Year.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37Have you had a new telescope for Christmas
0:00:37 > 0:00:39or are you going to get one?
0:00:39 > 0:00:45I'd like to give you a few tips on how to set it up and how to use it.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48So for the moment, out to the garden.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51Well, happy New Year to you and let's hope we get some better
0:00:51 > 0:00:52clear weather this year.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55It certainly couldn't be any worse than it was last year!
0:00:55 > 0:00:57This programme's about your first telescope.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59Perhaps you had a new one for Christmas.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02Getting your first telescope can be really, really exciting
0:01:02 > 0:01:06and it can literally open up a whole new world of astronomy for you.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09It can also be rather daunting so we're going to present some
0:01:09 > 0:01:11simple tips on how to get set up and how to get started.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13And crucially, we'll try
0:01:13 > 0:01:16and pick out a few objects that you can look at for the first time.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20Over the years on The Sky At Night, Patrick always tried to steer us
0:01:20 > 0:01:24on which telescopes we should get and what to use them for.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27As you can see, we are doing this programme from my home in Selsey
0:01:27 > 0:01:29where I've got an old thatched house within sound of the sea.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31In the garden, I've set up my two telescopes,
0:01:31 > 0:01:32the big ones -
0:01:32 > 0:01:36a reflector inside a run-off shed and another one inside a dome.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39It's from here that I carry out my own observational work.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42His telescopes were for the advanced astronomer,
0:01:42 > 0:01:45but he also had lots of advice for the beginner.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48I'd like to begin by showing you my own first telescope.
0:01:48 > 0:01:49Here it is.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53It's a three inch refractor, and I had it when I was a boy of 11,
0:01:53 > 0:01:55and that goes back to 1934.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59It wasn't new then. I think it must have been built around 1910.
0:01:59 > 0:02:00I called it a three inch refractor
0:02:00 > 0:02:03because it collects its light with a lens, or object-glass,
0:02:03 > 0:02:05three inches across.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07I am very refractor minded.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09They give lovely, crisp images and of course, I am essentially,
0:02:09 > 0:02:13an observer of the moon and planets so I like refractors,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16but if you're more interested in star clusters, nebulae
0:02:16 > 0:02:21and what they call deep sky work, I think the reflector is better.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23That advice is still good today.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27We have invited along some newcomers to astronomy who have all acquired
0:02:27 > 0:02:32a new telescope in the past year but are finding them a challenge.
0:02:32 > 0:02:37Danni Rochman has come from London and works in children's publishing.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40Danni is struggling to get her telescope aligned,
0:02:40 > 0:02:43something I'm sure we can help fix.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46I'd really like to learn my way around the sky a bit better.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49I've had my telescope for the best part of a year but the weather
0:02:49 > 0:02:52and living in London means I don't get to get it out very often.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54I'd like to see a galaxy through my scope.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56I've never seen any nebulae.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58So that would be something I'd like to look out for tonight.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02Stephen and Peta Bosley are both retired
0:03:02 > 0:03:04and bought their telescope earlier this year.
0:03:04 > 0:03:09Unfortunately, it's still so new, it's in the box it arrived in.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11I want to get the beast out of the box.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13I want to get it set up on its tripod,
0:03:13 > 0:03:15I want to point it at the sky
0:03:15 > 0:03:18and I want to be able to know I'm looking at the right things
0:03:18 > 0:03:20and just plain enjoy it.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24I absolutely agree. There are so many wonderful things there to see.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28I'd love to show our grandkids the marvels of the universe.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31Derek has had his telescope for six months and whilst it now
0:03:31 > 0:03:35lives in a golf bag, it's yet to see some proper action.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37I'd like to learn how to use the scope.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40I bought it because I've always been a little bit interested,
0:03:40 > 0:03:43but how do I use it? I don't know...yet.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47Finally, we have Julia Gosling who has managed to leave
0:03:47 > 0:03:49her two young kids with her partner
0:03:49 > 0:03:52and brought her telescope along for us to look at.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56I'd really like to get to grips with using it properly
0:03:56 > 0:03:57and understand it a bit better.
0:03:57 > 0:04:02New technology means there's a whole range of telescopes on the market
0:04:02 > 0:04:05so let's see what everyone has brought.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08It's going to be a surprise for all of us.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10So this looks like a tripod.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14- It does come out. It went in! - There we go.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18Some of the telescopes cost around £300 while others are nearer 1,000.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21- That's the scope itself.- OK.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24One thing I notice is we've done something slightly wrong to start with.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27We've got the eyepiece pointing downwards, so let's spin it around.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31So we do that with it. And there's the lens cap falling off.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35These telescopes all have a computerised GoTo mount.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39When set up correctly, the telescope should take you to any object
0:04:39 > 0:04:41you want to see in the night sky.
0:04:41 > 0:04:42There we go.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45First, we have to assemble the telescopes.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49For the first few times, it can be fiddly, but there is a lot
0:04:49 > 0:04:52you can do in the daylight which makes things much easier.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54Once you've done it a couple of times,
0:04:54 > 0:04:56do you find you sort of know the routine?
0:04:56 > 0:04:59Once I've done it a couple times, I find I like to keep it together!
0:04:59 > 0:05:02That's why I have mine set up, because what actually happens is
0:05:02 > 0:05:04you get half an hour to set up and then the clouds come in!
0:05:04 > 0:05:07- Do you find it easy to set up? - Um, at times.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11Yes, it really is quite easy once you've done it once
0:05:11 > 0:05:13and had someone supervise you doing it.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15I'm still not wonderful at aligning it.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18- Do you find it difficult to find things in the sky?- Yes, definitely.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22- That's still a big problem for me. - Right.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25But it's just about a one-woman job to set it up.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27It's rather good, isn't it?
0:05:27 > 0:05:29So this is the bit that attaches to the telescope
0:05:29 > 0:05:31and this has all the motors in it.
0:05:31 > 0:05:32So we place that on there.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36Right, now the most important bit - the tube itself.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39I think the thing which is quite misleading
0:05:39 > 0:05:42with a scope like this is that it looks like a small telescope
0:05:42 > 0:05:44but in fact, it isn't really that small
0:05:44 > 0:05:47because it is equivalent to a telescope much longer...
0:05:47 > 0:05:48Yes.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50..and that means that the focal length of it -
0:05:50 > 0:05:52that's the number which is on the side here.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54You see that number? "F = 1,500."
0:05:54 > 0:05:58That means it's got a focal length of one and a half metres.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01So it's actually equivalent to a one and a half metre long telescope.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05- That will make things difficult for you to find.- Yes!
0:06:05 > 0:06:07Which is probably why I've been having so many problems.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11So the other thing you have here, for this telescope to work,
0:06:11 > 0:06:12is an eyepiece.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15The different eyepieces magnify different amounts so we have,
0:06:15 > 0:06:18for example here, a 25mm eyepiece.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20That's what we call a low power eyepiece.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23- It has a longer focal length.- Right.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26That's the best one to start with so we can put that in. There we go.
0:06:26 > 0:06:27Right, OK.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31The best thing to do when you're starting is start off with your wide-angle lens.
0:06:31 > 0:06:32You get your object in the view.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35If you want a more zoomed-in view, this eyepiece in here
0:06:35 > 0:06:38is a 10mm eyepiece so it's got a shorter focal length
0:06:38 > 0:06:41and that means it will actually give you a higher magnification.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43- Right. - This is what we call a finder scope.
0:06:43 > 0:06:48It's basically a little telescope and all it does is slide onto here.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52You can now use that to line up the telescope on the lamp down there.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54Right, OK, let's have a look.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57- I can see a building. I think I'm on that building.- OK.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59So...it must be that one.
0:06:59 > 0:07:00Ah, there it is.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02- You've got it?- Yeah.- OK.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05Well, we're roughly lined up there, so if we look to the telescope,
0:07:05 > 0:07:06what can we see?
0:07:06 > 0:07:08Do you know what I can see? I can see a tree.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10- Oh, no!- Yes.- It's not lined up.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12So that shows it's not lined up at all.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15So basically, do you want me to move that round so we're looking up?
0:07:15 > 0:07:20- Yes.- So if we go... up and then across...
0:07:20 > 0:07:21Oh, yes.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23Now, if you look through there...
0:07:23 > 0:07:26- It's not quite in focus but you can see the lamp.- Yes, that's it.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30- OK, if you look through the finder again, is that way off?- Yes.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34So if you adjust the finder so the lamp comes into view
0:07:34 > 0:07:36and it's in the crosshairs...
0:07:36 > 0:07:38I can't get it. Oh, there we go.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40..then it becomes second nature.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42- Have you got it?- Just about.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46So we've got, more or less, the middle of the lamp there.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49We now know that that is lined up with that
0:07:49 > 0:07:53so when the sky goes dark tonight, if you get something in there
0:07:53 > 0:07:56- then theoretically, it should be lined up with that as well.- Yes.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59So we can give that a try later on tonight.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03Well, guys, we've got a few other guest telescopes here.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06- It's a nice array actually. - An impressive array, yes.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09We should talk about our first telescopes and what we got started.
0:08:09 > 0:08:10This is yours, is it?
0:08:10 > 0:08:13This isn't actually my first telescope, it's my second telescope.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15You've upgraded, then!
0:08:15 > 0:08:18Well, my wife saw this in a charity shop for £20
0:08:18 > 0:08:20so I'm not sure how it got there.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24My guess is that someone got it for Christmas or a birthday
0:08:24 > 0:08:26and in the end, didn't know what to do with it.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29The biggest problem with the telescope like that is the mount
0:08:29 > 0:08:32because you only have to touch it and it wobbles like a jelly,
0:08:32 > 0:08:36and the problem is if that gives somebody a bad experience
0:08:36 > 0:08:38when they're trying to move the telescope or trying
0:08:38 > 0:08:40to view something and the telescope's moving around,
0:08:40 > 0:08:42they get fed up with that and it ends up in a charity shop.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46I don't have my first telescope here but we have brought Patrick's out
0:08:46 > 0:08:49and Patrick's is a lovely brass refractor.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51Is one of the simplest forms of telescopes you can get.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54It's got a primary lens at the top and an eyepiece at the bottom
0:08:54 > 0:08:57and the light is magnified in a very simple way.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00I believe he bought that for seven pounds and ten shillings!
0:09:00 > 0:09:02That was in the 1930s, I think.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05So in today's money that's a little over £100.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08Which is quite a good buy. It's on a good tripod, as well.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10But now, Pete, we come to this.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13Why don't you tell everybody what this is?
0:09:13 > 0:09:15I saw that and I thought he'd been catching lobsters
0:09:15 > 0:09:18because it doesn't look like it catches photons to me!
0:09:18 > 0:09:20You are just so rude about stuff!
0:09:20 > 0:09:24My first ever telescope was actually a 40mm refractor
0:09:24 > 0:09:26so that's quite a small refracting telescope
0:09:26 > 0:09:31but I really wanted to go bigger and I couldn't afford it
0:09:31 > 0:09:33so at the end of the day, I decided to make my own.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35So basically, I ground my own mirror
0:09:35 > 0:09:37which was an eight and three-quarter inch mirror
0:09:37 > 0:09:40so it's quite a big telescope, but I had to get the tube from somewhere,
0:09:40 > 0:09:43and somebody was throwing out a galvanised steel fence,
0:09:43 > 0:09:48and this is all that's left of it, and it is built like a tank.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50- Is that satisfying? - That was incredibly satisfying.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52So your first proper view of the planets
0:09:52 > 0:09:55and the universe was with a home-grown optics that you'd done.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57And it worked brilliantly.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00I think the first deep sky object I ever saw through that telescope
0:10:00 > 0:10:01was the Ring Nebula.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05Hopefully, we'll be able to show our newcomers some interesting stuff later on.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07It does look like it's going to clear, doesn't it? What do you think?
0:10:07 > 0:10:10Do that optimistic thing you do when we're camping.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13- It's awful when you say it's going to clear.- I think it's going to be fine!
0:10:13 > 0:10:15- There you go! - Oh, we might as well go in now!
0:10:15 > 0:10:18Well, let's hope for the clear skies later.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22Patrick's garden has always been a great location for a star party.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24There's a real feeling of anticipation
0:10:24 > 0:10:27and excitement as darkness approaches.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31Over the years, Patrick has hosted some great star parties here
0:10:31 > 0:10:33and we've been lucky with the weather.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37The transit of Venus in 2004 was an amazing event with astronomers
0:10:37 > 0:10:42flocking to Farthings to share this unique experience with Patrick.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46And we're about to see something that no-one now living has ever seen
0:10:46 > 0:10:49so let's hope the sky stays clear.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52But Patrick has not always been lucky with the weather.
0:10:52 > 0:10:56His live show for the 50th programme of The Sky At Night put him off
0:10:56 > 0:10:59observing on live TV for some time.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03I can't see one single star. Can you, George? Any luck?
0:11:03 > 0:11:06No, I must be able to see it before I can get onto it.
0:11:06 > 0:11:07That's the trouble, of course.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10There is the moon, I can see it for the moment. No, it's gone again.
0:11:10 > 0:11:11It's gone.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15Yes, and there is Saturn for the first time on direct television.
0:11:15 > 0:11:16Has it gone? Oh, no!
0:11:16 > 0:11:20Just as I got it on the crosswires, it blacked right out.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22How absolutely typical, there's nothing we can do about it.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25I can't move a 24 inch telescope quicker than that.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27No, I'm afraid you can't.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30Let's hope we're a bit luckier with the weather tonight.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34Back in Patrick's garden, we are waiting to show everyone
0:11:34 > 0:11:36how to use their telescopes
0:11:36 > 0:11:39but the skies have been teasing us with clouds.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45Finally, it clears and Paul has got all excited.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48The sky is really delivering for us now and on Jupiter,
0:11:48 > 0:11:50there's something rather special tonight.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54- Can you make out the Great Red Spot? - Yes, I can. It's amazing!
0:11:54 > 0:11:56It's absolutely the best view I've ever had.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00And to think that that spot is three times the size of the Earth,
0:12:00 > 0:12:03you can see just how large Jupiter is compared to the Earth.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05Once you been looking at Jupiter for a while,
0:12:05 > 0:12:06the colours are quite spectacular.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09- Are you finding any colour there? - Yes, definitely.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12You know, with my telescope, which is smaller, I don't see colour,
0:12:12 > 0:12:14so this is wonderful.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16I've never seen this much detail.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20The advantage of a computerised GoTo mount is that you can find
0:12:20 > 0:12:24faint objects in the sky quickly and easily.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28But setting up the telescope needs to be precise.
0:12:28 > 0:12:29So the first task -
0:12:29 > 0:12:33we have to make sure the telescope is aligned with the sky.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35To do that, we pick out some bright stars
0:12:35 > 0:12:37and check the telescope is looking at them.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39I've come to give Derek a hand and we've chosen Deneb
0:12:39 > 0:12:43in the constellation of Cygnus as our first bright star.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46So we're nearly pointing up at Deneb
0:12:46 > 0:12:48so if you point up towards Deneb up there,
0:12:48 > 0:12:51you can see a very bright star.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54- So that's Deneb. Is it right in the centre?- It is.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58So, on the paddle, we're going to align.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00Do you have the time on you?
0:13:00 > 0:13:019.16.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03It says "brightest star" or "two star align"
0:13:03 > 0:13:05so we'll do two star align.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07and then we choose a second star.
0:13:07 > 0:13:08So let's pick...
0:13:08 > 0:13:10We want something as far away from Deneb as we can.
0:13:10 > 0:13:11Which is...
0:13:11 > 0:13:15Now, ideally, there's Aldebaran up near Jupiter.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19So I reckon we spin all the way around and try and find that.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21It looks like it's trying to guess where Aldebaran is.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24So because we've given it one star and it knows where it is
0:13:24 > 0:13:28and what time it is, it can get a good guess of where it is.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31What it does is it slews over really quickly
0:13:31 > 0:13:34- and the beep says it's aligned.- OK.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36So, let's see if we're anywhere...
0:13:36 > 0:13:37How does that look?
0:13:37 > 0:13:39Does that look like a bright star to you?
0:13:39 > 0:13:41- Yes, it does.- Yes?
0:13:41 > 0:13:43Then we've got to hit enter.
0:13:43 > 0:13:44"Alignment successful."
0:13:44 > 0:13:46- Hooray, it works.- Now we test it.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49So, pick something we want to try and find.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51Is that the Square of Pegasus?
0:13:51 > 0:13:55That is the Square of Pegasus, so shall we try and see
0:13:55 > 0:13:57if it will find us the Andromeda galaxy?
0:13:57 > 0:14:00- That sounds interesting.- Yes?- Yes.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03So, Messier Catalogue, 31.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07- Yes, please.- And in theory... - It's going in the right direction.
0:14:07 > 0:14:08It's going in the right direction.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11I tried this with a GoTo mount that I borrowed from work once
0:14:11 > 0:14:13and I tried to point it at something
0:14:13 > 0:14:16and it tried to go below the horizon so I knew my alignment had failed.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19So let's hope this goes to the right place.
0:14:19 > 0:14:20It's beeped.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23Now, here's the test. Here's the test.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26- Let's see... - Is there's anything in there?
0:14:26 > 0:14:28Ah, it's in the viewfinder.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31If we look through the main scope is there anything there?
0:14:31 > 0:14:34It might just be that our finder's not aligned. Is there a fuzzy patch?
0:14:34 > 0:14:36- It's right smack in the middle. - Is it?- Near enough, yes.
0:14:36 > 0:14:41- Oh, excellent.- Very fuzzy. Look at that. That is a very good shot, look.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43Yes, that's definitely the Andromeda galaxy. There you go.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46The sky, as they say now, Derek, is your oyster.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49I will hand over the paddle to you and you can pick anything you want
0:14:49 > 0:14:53- in the sky and in theory, your telescope will...- Find it.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55- ..find it. - Absolutely, that's great stuff.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00The Reverend Graham Smith has joined us in the garden.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04He confessed he's having some difficulties with his new telescope.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06Let's see if we can show him the heavens.
0:15:06 > 0:15:07Is the GoTo working?
0:15:07 > 0:15:10I think, for the first time ever, I've got it going, yes.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12I give you a round of applause, it's very impressive.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14Why don't you give us a little demonstration, then?
0:15:14 > 0:15:16Could we find the planet Uranus?
0:15:16 > 0:15:18Well, we shall try.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22Let's hope it goes in the right direction.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26- There's something rather magical about this, isn't there?- Yes!
0:15:26 > 0:15:28Can I have a look?
0:15:28 > 0:15:33No, I think you might be slightly off-kilter.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36It all depends on whether I recognise the stars
0:15:36 > 0:15:38I was aligning on correctly, of course.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41It seems that Graham's telescope isn't set up properly
0:15:41 > 0:15:43and we need to realign it.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45There are a number of bright stars we can choose
0:15:45 > 0:15:48depending on the time of year and what's visible.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52The winter constellation of Orion is high in our night sky.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54It has Betelgeuse and Rigel,
0:15:54 > 0:15:57both ideal for aligning the telescope.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00It gets easier every time you do it.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04Danni wants to learn how to find objects by star hopping
0:16:04 > 0:16:08so we are switching off the sky sat-nav and I am helping her to find
0:16:08 > 0:16:12her first galaxy - M31 or the Andromeda galaxy.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14- Right, that should be it.- OK.
0:16:14 > 0:16:16Let's see.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18Oh, oh, nearly!
0:16:18 > 0:16:19Oh, look at that!
0:16:19 > 0:16:21I can hear the excitement now
0:16:21 > 0:16:24as Danni finds deep sky objects on her own.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26Not quite on my own!
0:16:26 > 0:16:27With the Andromeda galaxy,
0:16:27 > 0:16:30what you see is just the core of the galaxy.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34You can't actually see the spiral arms and things which you see in beautiful photographs of it.
0:16:34 > 0:16:39That's wonderful...having never seen a galaxy through my scope before.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41- Is that your first galaxy?- Yes.- Wow.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44It's tricky to find, but I got there.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46And it gets easier every time you do it.
0:16:46 > 0:16:51You learn that pattern of stars and you'll remember how tricky it was.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55- Yes!- And it will get a lot easier.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58So after a few mis-starts, we finally realigned the telescope.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01- We've done quite a good job, haven't we, Graham?- Yes, I think so.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05It's asked for a couple of bright stars so we did Rigel in Orion
0:17:05 > 0:17:07and Capella in Auriga.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09We got it to find Jupiter, which is good,
0:17:09 > 0:17:11so now we'll try and find Uranus.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14Do you want to press the button and send it on its way?
0:17:14 > 0:17:17- Have you ever seen Uranus before? - No, no.
0:17:17 > 0:17:23It should be immediately obvious. It will be an emerald green object.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25- Got it?- Yes.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28- Can you make out the green colour? - Just, yes.
0:17:28 > 0:17:29It's quite impressive, isn't it?
0:17:29 > 0:17:33It is, and I didn't think you'd see something that far away with this.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35Right out in the icy depths of the solar system,
0:17:35 > 0:17:37it's probably warmer there than it is here tonight!
0:17:37 > 0:17:39- It is quite impressive, isn't it?- Amazing.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42And actually, the scope found it,
0:17:42 > 0:17:45which I've not been able to do before.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47Congratulations, you have a working telescope
0:17:47 > 0:17:51and a wonderful view of the outer solar system.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54- So, Steve, Peta, I know you've just got your telescope aligned.- We have.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57Do you fancy a test to try and find something off the Moore Winter Marathon?
0:17:57 > 0:17:59- That would be great.- Absolutely.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03OK, so how do you reckon to the Owl Cluster, NGC 467?
0:18:03 > 0:18:04Never seen it so...
0:18:04 > 0:18:06- So, that would be good.- Right.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10January is a great month for stargazing.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14The nights are long and the weather can be more favourable.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17It's also the last month of our Moore Winter Marathon.
0:18:17 > 0:18:22You can still take part. The closing date is the end of January.
0:18:22 > 0:18:23For details see our website.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32Julia, we've got a very simple telescope here.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34- Do you like how simple it is? - It's very simple.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36- It might be simple enough for me. - It's got no GoTo mount.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39It's not even got a viewfinder cos Chris left it at home.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41I've set it up to look at the Pleiades star cluster.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43Are you familiar with Pleiades?
0:18:43 > 0:18:47- I call it the little shopping trolley.- Ha, that's brilliant!
0:18:47 > 0:18:50The little shopping trolley, it is. It is quite impressive.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54- Even a telescope that size. - Oh, yes, it's very pretty.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57An object like this is better in a telescope this size
0:18:57 > 0:18:59because it's a lot smaller.
0:18:59 > 0:19:00If you use a bigger telescope,
0:19:00 > 0:19:02the whole thing gets magnified much more
0:19:02 > 0:19:05so a small telescope is better for something like this.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07What colour stars do you see?
0:19:07 > 0:19:10Properly one of the brightest ones, towards the top of the view,
0:19:10 > 0:19:12is quite blue.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14Yeah. They're beautiful things, aren't they?
0:19:14 > 0:19:18- Yes, it's very bright like little jewels.- Little jewels!
0:19:18 > 0:19:20Your shopping trolley full of little jewels!
0:19:20 > 0:19:24A telescope this size is sort of a good beginners' one, I think.
0:19:24 > 0:19:25It's easy to handle.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28Yes, and also, you can pick the whole thing up, move it,
0:19:28 > 0:19:32and actually, quite quickly, get into position and do something else.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34You haven't got to fiddle about with too much setup, have you?
0:19:34 > 0:19:36No, that's right. It is very accessible, isn't it?
0:19:36 > 0:19:38You are up and ready to go.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41Danni is trying to find M35,
0:19:41 > 0:19:44the lovely star cluster in the constellation
0:19:44 > 0:19:45of Gemini The Twins.
0:19:45 > 0:19:46Oh, there we go, yes.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49- You've got the two stars? - I think I do. Do you want to check?
0:19:49 > 0:19:51Yes, yes, sure.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55Yes, you've definitely got them.
0:19:55 > 0:20:00- Now you need the scope to go up and slightly round to the right.- OK.
0:20:00 > 0:20:06- What am I looking for?- It's a little cluster. Like a little hazy patch.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09Oh, goodness, yes. OK, now I know what I was looking for.
0:20:09 > 0:20:10That's fantastic, yes.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13- Lots and lots of stars. - Yes, lots of stars.
0:20:13 > 0:20:14When you finally see it,
0:20:14 > 0:20:17you realise what you should have been looking for, it's obvious.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20That's part of the thrill of sort of hunting things down yourself
0:20:20 > 0:20:23because when you see it, you get really excited.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27That's brilliant, thank you very much. That's a pleasure.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31- Has this been a good evening for you?- It's been a fantastic evening.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34The chill's beginning to set in now but it's been really fantastic
0:20:34 > 0:20:38and I do feel a lot more confident even just after one evening
0:20:38 > 0:20:41of being told how to find each object
0:20:41 > 0:20:44and what to look for and how to direct myself to it.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46- So it's not going to go back in its box.- It's not.....
0:20:46 > 0:20:50- No, no! It will come out again very soon, definitely.- Brilliant.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52- Thank you very much. - No problem at all.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55Right, Derek, how's it going at the end of the night?
0:20:55 > 0:20:57It's been really good, great.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00I've got a nice view at the moment of the Crab Nebula...
0:21:00 > 0:21:03- Oh, wow.- ..which is just visible.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05So you're starting on the Moore Winter Marathon.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09- Well, apparently so! - Excellent. Well, that's number 26.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11So Peta, early on when we started,
0:21:11 > 0:21:13you said you wanted to get the beast out of the box
0:21:13 > 0:21:14and wanted to master it.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17Do you feel you've accomplished that this evening?
0:21:17 > 0:21:18The beast is definitely out of the box.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21I've been involved with setting it up.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24I feel I've got a lot further than I have before.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27You feel you can build on that and go on to master the thing?
0:21:27 > 0:21:28Absolutely.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31Jupiter was the best view, I think.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34It was really amazing and I did make the mistake of looking down
0:21:34 > 0:21:37a telescope that's much bigger than mine.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40How beautiful it looked in it.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42It's definitely going to make me
0:21:42 > 0:21:46get the telescope out a bit more often next year.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50It's been great, actually, to see people get started
0:21:50 > 0:21:53and the best thing was seeing people make mistakes because it is hard when you make a start.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57- Of course it is.- And then getting them sorted out, persevering.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01- We all made mistakes when we started out.- I'm still doing it now!
0:22:01 > 0:22:04We're fairly competent now, but we did make mistakes.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06But it was also interesting to see how excited they were
0:22:06 > 0:22:09when they were overcoming those mistakes and solving them.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13And seeing some objects for the first time as well.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17People seeing either the planet Uranus or the Crab Nebula
0:22:17 > 0:22:20or whatever they were looking at for the first time was brilliant.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23We've been looking at a few planets in our solar system.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26Over the past year there's been a lot of stories about planets
0:22:26 > 0:22:29and other solar systems - some very exciting news.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32Chris Lintott's been finding out more.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37The astonishing discovery late last year of a rocky,
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Earth-sized planet rocked astronomy.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43It's orbiting a star called Alpha Centauri B
0:22:43 > 0:22:45in our nearest star system
0:22:45 > 0:22:47and at just four light years away,
0:22:47 > 0:22:51it's almost imaginable that man could one day journey there.
0:22:51 > 0:22:56Science fiction may just be transforming into science fact.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00The planet, rather unfortunately dubbed Alpha Centauri BB,
0:23:00 > 0:23:04sits in a three star system comprising a faint red star
0:23:04 > 0:23:08and two brighter stars, all bouncing a gravitational tango.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11The planet is right in the middle of that dance orbiting
0:23:11 > 0:23:13one of the brightest stars.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15Lewis Dartnell is an astrobiologist
0:23:15 > 0:23:19and speculates about life in other worlds.
0:23:19 > 0:23:24He joined me to talk about the planet and the system it lives in.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28Now, this planet is on a very, very tight orbit around its host star.
0:23:28 > 0:23:32It orbits what's quite similar to the sun.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35It's roughly sun-like, Alpha Centauri B,
0:23:35 > 0:23:39and it orbits about ten times closer to its star than even Mercury does.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42- So it must be very hot. - So it's exceedingly hot.
0:23:42 > 0:23:43Well over 1,000 degrees on its surface
0:23:43 > 0:23:46so it wouldn't really be a rocky world in that sense.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49It would be a kind of magma or lava ocean world.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51So no hope for life on this world
0:23:51 > 0:23:54but what is very promising and exciting about this
0:23:54 > 0:23:59is that from the Kepler space telescope we now know that terrestrial rocky planets
0:23:59 > 0:24:02tend to form as part of families of clusters.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05In the same way as you'd have several puppies in a litter,
0:24:05 > 0:24:09we'd have several puppies or planets in the litter around its star.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12- So where we find one rocky planet... - We'd expect to find others.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16So the race is now on to look for planets that are a lot more like the Earth -
0:24:16 > 0:24:17they're orbiting further away,
0:24:17 > 0:24:20that aren't scorchingly or rock-meltingly hot
0:24:20 > 0:24:22that are in what's known as the habitable zone.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25- The Goldilocks Zone.- Yes, not too hot, not too cold, just right.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28- Just right for liquid water.- This is the interesting point, isn't it?
0:24:28 > 0:24:30Every time we find one of these weird worlds,
0:24:30 > 0:24:34one of these strange systems, it tells us something about how planets form
0:24:34 > 0:24:36and that's what we're trying to understand here,
0:24:36 > 0:24:38and understand how unusual our solar system is.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41It's also that every time we try to make some general,
0:24:41 > 0:24:44sweeping statement about "this is how planetary systems are,"
0:24:44 > 0:24:46we find a counter example almost as if on cue,
0:24:46 > 0:24:50to get everyone thinking again about how the things we work.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53The list goes on. We have seven planets around double stars,
0:24:53 > 0:24:56so not orbiting individual stars but orbiting both stars, like this.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00We have one planet around four stars just to make things more complicated.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02Let's come back to Alpha Centauri BB.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05There's a planetary system four light years away.
0:25:05 > 0:25:06We've got to go there, surely.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08It's on our doorstep.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11It's invitingly close, tantalisingly close,
0:25:11 > 0:25:14and in astronomical terms, it is our next door neighbour.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17It's the closest star system to the sun.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20In practical terms, in real terms, on a human scale,
0:25:20 > 0:25:22it's so far away - four light years.
0:25:22 > 0:25:27The fastest spacecraft we've built yet, would take tens of thousand years to get there.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29What would we get from such a trip?
0:25:29 > 0:25:31Presumably, we'd fly through the system.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34- Stopping is going to be hard when we get there.- Yes.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36What would you get? You're a planetary scientist.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38What would you see of the systems?
0:25:38 > 0:25:41You do a flyby mission in exactly the same way
0:25:41 > 0:25:44as the earliest missions to other planets launched from Earth
0:25:44 > 0:25:45were all flyby missions,
0:25:45 > 0:25:49but it would be a close-up view of another world,
0:25:49 > 0:25:53another solar system, and that would tell so much information
0:25:53 > 0:25:56about another example, which we can then compare.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59If we start doing comparative solar system studies
0:25:59 > 0:26:03between Alpha Centauri Alpha Centauri BB or any other planets we discover there,
0:26:03 > 0:26:06and Earth or Venus or Mercury.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08It's just another way of finding out as much as we can
0:26:08 > 0:26:12about ourselves by comparing and contrasting against other examples.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15This is the best shot, so let's hope we head off soon. Lewis, thank you.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17Thank you.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22When Patrick presented the first Sky At Night in 1957,
0:26:22 > 0:26:26space travel of any sort was science fiction.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28So who knows, in the next 55 years,
0:26:28 > 0:26:32a voyage to Alpha Centauri B might just come about.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35If you look up into the sky on any dark night, you will see
0:26:35 > 0:26:39thousands of stars and all these stars are suns in their own right.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42Of course, they are much too hot to land on but many of them
0:26:42 > 0:26:45may have other planets going around, other Earths if you like.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48I'm sure they have and I'm also sure that many of these other Earths
0:26:48 > 0:26:50are inhabited.
0:26:50 > 0:26:51Some by people who know as much as we do,
0:26:51 > 0:26:54and others by races who know a great deal more.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57If we're ever going to contact those other civilisations which must exist,
0:26:57 > 0:27:01it's got to be done, I think, by some methods about which
0:27:01 > 0:27:03we know absolutely nothing at the present moment.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07And I suspect we're just about as far away from that kind of thing
0:27:07 > 0:27:09as King Canute was from television.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13But some things never change.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16For more than half a century, Patrick encouraged us
0:27:16 > 0:27:21simply to look up at the night skies and to wonder.
0:27:21 > 0:27:25That pleasure is still there for all to enjoy as we, like Patrick,
0:27:25 > 0:27:27reach for the stars.
0:27:29 > 0:27:34Next month, we'll be talking about the sun and those lovely things -
0:27:34 > 0:27:37the moon and the Southern lights.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39Until then, goodnight.
0:27:42 > 0:27:43Venus, goodbye.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46Goodbye, Venus and thank you.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49Well, that was absolutely great.
0:27:49 > 0:27:54And so from Scotland, at the end of our annual eclipse, for the moment, good night.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56I think it's not too early,
0:27:56 > 0:28:00I hope, to wish you a very happy Christmas, New Year and clear skies.
0:28:00 > 0:28:01Goodnight.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04Well, we told you it was like science fiction, goodnight.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06And for now, goodnight.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09Is Mars a dead world or is it a world
0:28:09 > 0:28:12where there are things which live and grow?
0:28:12 > 0:28:14Goodnight.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18And so from Brighton, where the sky is now completely overcast,
0:28:18 > 0:28:19goodnight.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21Goodnight.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23Goodnight.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26If you have got any kind of telescope, well, have a look
0:28:26 > 0:28:30at the Pleiades and you'll be astonished at the richness of it.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33Even a small telescope will give you a superb view
0:28:33 > 0:28:36of this magnificent cluster of suns.
0:28:36 > 0:28:37Goodnight.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd