The Sky at Night S27E11 · The Mount Wilson Observatory

Overview

In 1917 astronomy entered a new era. The great 100-inch reflecting telescope on Mount Wilson in California was completed. It was far more powerful than any existing telescope, and it soon led to the discovery that we live in an expanding universe. Mount Wilson Observatory is still in full use. Patrick Moore visits the observatory and talks to some of the astronomers who are working there.

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Subtitles

Episodes

1. 1 1. The Winter Sky1983-09-09The winter stars are more brilliant than those of any other season. Orion dominates the scene, together with his brilliant retinue. Two particularly interesting stars are visible;
2. 2 2. A New Frontier1983-02-06A week ago IRAS, the Infra-red Astronomical Satellite, was launched and is now moving round the Earth at a height of 560 miles. It will provide new information about objects rangin
3. 3 3. Mauna Kea - Half-way to Space1983-03-06Mauna Kea, in the Hawaiian Islands, is almost 14,000 feet high. At its summit the air is thin and the skies are clear-which is why some of the world's largest telescopes have been
4. 4 4. The Quickest Pulsar1983-04-10Patrick Moore talks about a strange pulsar to the Astronomer Royal, Professor Graham Smith.
5. 5 5. Neutrino Hunting1983-05-08A mile below the Black Hills of Dakota lies a huge tank of cleaning fluid deep inside a gold mine - the world's strangest observatory. It is designed to collect neutrinos sent out
6. 6 6. Speckles of Light1983-06-05The stars, many far bigger than our ' star the sun, are many millions of miles away and appear only as specks of light. Until recently it had been impossible to see any details of
7. 7 7. Pioneering the Heliosphere1983-07-03Two rocket probes, Pioneers 10 and 11, are on their way out of the solar system. They are sending back new information about the heliosphere, that part of space in which the influe
8. 8 8. Illuminating Quasars1983-07-31First identified 20 years ago, quasars are probably the most dramatic objects in the universe. Though small compared with galaxies, they are extremely luminous, and some of them ar
9. 9 9. Unlocking the Secrets of Vega1983-09-04Vega has been known to astronomers for centuries. At least, astronomers thought they knew most things about this brilliant blue star. But Vega has been keeping a secret. It is surr
10. 10 10. The Autumn Sky1983-09-25IRAS, the Infra-Red Astronomical Satellite, continues on its triumphant way. and has now discovered a remarkable 20 million mile dust-tail associated with the faint Tempel's Comet.
11. 11 11. The Mount Wilson Observatory1983-10-23In 1917 astronomy entered a new era. The great 100-inch reflecting telescope on Mount Wilson in California was completed. It was far more powerful than any existing telescope, and
12. 12 12. Discoveries in Space1983-11-20IRAS, the infra-red astronomical satellite, is proving to be one of the most successful of all space missions. Already it has carried out an all-sky survey in infra-red, discoverin
13. 13 13. The Black Hole Weigh-In1983-12-11Black holes are almost certainly the most bizarre objects known. They cannot be seen but they betray their presence by their effects upon more normal stars. Now, for the first time
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