The Sky at Night S14E13 · Planets of Other Suns

Overview

Astronomers now think there must be planets circling many of the stars in the Universe, and that some of these planets could well be inhabited. Patrick Moore talks to Dr Peter van de Kamp, who has already managed to detect two planets going round another star.

Torrents

Subtitles

Episodes

1. 1 1. Wanderers in Space1970-01-12In January a comet will be visible in the northern sky, bright enough to be seen without a telescope. Patrick Moore talks about comets and their appearances with an observer, Keith
2. 2 2. Orion1970-01-27The constellation of Orion the Hunter is conspicuous in the southern sky. Patrick Moore talks about its many fascinating features, among them white giant stars, the old red giant B
3. 3 3. The Crab Nebula1970-02-24In the year 1054 a new star, or Supernova, appeared. It was a star so brilliant that it rivalled Venus and was said to be visible in daylight. It was two years before it faded away
4. 4 4. Photography on the Moon1970-03-23The Apollo 11 and 12 astronauts brought back colour photographs which have given valuable information about the moon's surface and geology. Soon the Apollo 13 crew will be photogra
5. 5 5. When Mercury Crosses the Sun1970-04-28On 9 May the tiny planet Mercury will be seen as a black dot in transit across the sun's disc. Because it orbits close to the sun, Mercury has always been difficult to observe, an
6. 6 6. Amateur Astronomers1970-05-26Patrick Moore examines the telescopes at Frank Acfield's back-garden observatory in Newcastle. Amateur astronomers - whether they have sophisticated equipment or simply use small t
7. 7 7. Steering by the Stars1970-06-16Patrick Moore examines some instruments used by ancient mariners to steer their ships by the stars, and discusses with James Burke the use of the stars by American astronauts and s
8. 8 8. The Moons of Mars1970-07-14The two tiny Moons of Mars, Phobos and Deimos, are unlike any other astronomical bodies known to us. Too small to be satellites like our Moon - are they asteroids or minor planets
9. 9 9. Astronomers in the Space Age1970-08-25Patrick Moore talks to some of the world's leading astronomers, who are attending an international conference at Brighton, about the spectacular growth in recent years of our knowl
10. 10 10. Moon-quakes!1970-09-15The devastating results of earthquakes are well known, but recent observations have shown that the moon too has moon-quakes, and they are linked with the tidal effects of the earth
11. 11 11. Rockets to the Planet1970-10-14Spacecraft have already been to the nearest planets, Mars and Venus. Within the next 10 years other probes will explore much further, heading inward to Mercury, and outward beyond
12. 12 12. Infra-Red Astronomy1970-11-18One of the newest and most exciting branches of science, infra-red astronomy can detect 'invisible light' from the stars and so tell us more than we could find out from visible lig
13. 13 13. Planets of Other Suns1970-12-16Astronomers now think there must be planets circling many of the stars in the Universe, and that some of these planets could well be inhabited. Patrick Moore talks to Dr Peter van