Astronomy documentaries - recommendations please!

[evo]

Hope I've got the right forum here...Iceman - just move this post to another place if not!

Just wondering if anyone out there can recommend some good documentaries on space/planets/stars/general stronomy. Prefer something which is visually exciting as well as good on information. Also really only interested in DVD format. eg - I think there was a series (BBC?) on the planets a few years ago which was meant to be fantastic. What about Carl sagan's series from a thousand years ago?

Any info appreciated! Looks like we're in for a few cloudy nights, so gotto find something to do instead of star gazing!

regards, mike

[[1ponders]]

There are two that spring to mind straight off Mike. One is "The Planets" that you have already mentioned and the other " The Universe" is much the same, infact they rehash some of "The Planets" but there is still a lot of good stuff in it.

Another that you might want to have a look at if you can get it is "The man who coloured the stars" about the photography of David Malin. A visually stunning video if hard to get.

Good luck

[astro_south]

I have two DVD documentaries

Space (narrated by Sam Neil) - BBC series

Cosmos (Carl Sagan) - 7 DVD's (a mate got this from China for around a dollar a DVD :) )

I also have The Planets on VHS. All three are excellent!

[Striker]

Thats cheap Andrew...they are selling on Ebay in Australia for the 7 DVDs $150 + Postage

Overseas they are selling for $33USD + $15USD postage.......hmmm not bad for 7 DVD's....could probably sneak these in without the misses knowing...lol

Tempting for $60AUD total

Another to consider is Striker's Autobiography.....best seller....lol

[Starkler]

I have the BBC doco "The Planets" two dvd set.
Highly recommended.

[Argonavis]

"The Planets" is an excellent series, as was "The Astronomers" . It is from 1991 (which is more up to date than COSMOS!) and really conveys the excitement of discovery.

[Striker]

Is this it....

8 DVD's...........

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=617&item=6376692346&rd=1

[Jonathan]

I'd recommend Space by the BBC, presented by Sam Niel (2002). It's a 6 part series on 1 DVD and goes for 3 hours. Cost me about $28 from memory.

Another DVD is Solar Max (2001) which was originally an IMAX movie. The solar max part is pretty short (30 - 45mins I think) but it also includes an old documentary called "Spirits of the Polar Night - The Aurora". The solar max part is all footage captured by SOHO (no computer generated images). Cost me about $7 or $8 from ezydvd. Total run time is 2 hours and it needs a region free DVD player as it 's NTSC format.

[ballaratdragons]

Don't know any on DVD. I watch all the good stuff on PayTV.

Usually on Discovery. They show quite a bit.

[ving]

I have solar max. havent watched it tho :)

[ballaratdragons]

Is that like Mad Max?

[acropolite]

There is a BBC Series The Sky At Night. You can watch online at www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/spaceguide/skyatnight/ if you have broadband. I have tried and it works OK but the latest episode stops and starts all the time, probably due to demand. If you start at the earlier episodes it seems to go OK. Worth a try.:D

[janoskiss]

Thanks for the great link Phil!

[evo]

Thanks for all the replies folks. Great link above - in fat the whole bbc website is filled with wonderful material. Check out the link below for a great take off of Sir Patrik Moore by Ronnie Barker:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/realmedia/video_pop.shtml?skymedia_ronnie.ram

Regards, Mike

[Howzat]

I was reading April's Foxtel magazine and BBC World is showing Space presented by Sam Neil in May. No other info other than that buts it's something to keep in mind if your a subscriber.

[janx87]

Sorry for reviving a 4 year old topic, but I found a great place for streaming astronomy documentaries. Try this place:
http://www.documentary-log.com/free-documentaries-online/category/12/astronomy-space/

[Outbackmanyep]

I know "The Universe" series which aired on Discovery channel (i think??) was the most recent one.
Or it could have been on History Channel, the box set is available but i doubt i'd buy it, it was a bit "over the top" with the interviews of the astronomers but i thought the content was ok.

[Fox]

I'll wind the clock back somewhat, but I have to mention these. The BBC "Horizon" series made two incredible documentaries shortly after the Voyager probes visited Jupiter and Saturn. One was called "Encounter with Jupiter", and the second was the two parter "Resolution on Saturn", part one "The moons" and part two "The rings". All narrated by Ian Holm (of Alien fame). There is a paperback book as well, which has historical value now I reckon.

Although these are going back some 20 years now, they are every bit as high quality as the BBC "The Planets" series. Moreover, many of the NASA JPL scientists featured in "The Planets" are interviewed 20 years earlier in the Horizon series. I have the Saturn two parter still on VHS, and hope to transfer it to DVD one day. I did not capture the Jupiter one on VHS unfortunately.

Apart from being typical superb BBC production, the very final moments are spectacular: one shows a computer graphic Voyager flyby of Jupiter with Camille Saint-Seans "Organ" symphony no.3 for the background, and another shows Voyager approaching Saturn with Wagners "Der Ring des Nibelungen" in the background. IMHO, these scenes are breathtaking, despite being 20 years old.

Both are listed in the BBC archives website under the "Horizon" series, BUT none are available at all on DVD, and doubt they ever will be given their vintage.

Two more old specials I know are also worth mention. One is called "The Universe" - not the UK thing with John Hurt narrating. The one I am referring to is only a 10 min thing, black and white, and starts off with some professional astronomer driving to an observatory and embarks on a photographic journey of the universe. The music is oddly creepy, not unlike the original "Outer Limits" - it's quite moving if you ask me. The second one is "Power of ten" - again very old and only about 10 minutes, starting from a human hand, it flies out 10-fold at a time to the edge of the universe, and then all way back in to subatomic quarks - it's a fantastic piece for its time.

Cheers, FOX!:)

[leinad]

Where did you get it ving? I been looking for that one.
EDIT: Nevermind, saw Jonathon's post.

The ones I have.

Blue Planet - IMAX
Cosmic Voyage - IMAX
Cosmos - Carl Sagan DVD series
BBC - The Planets
Sun/Moon
Universe- Series 1 & 2 - Discovery Channel
Apollo 13

[Jen]

:hi: Hi Mike
The Universe collection is great i have season 1 & 2 cant wait till i get season 3 :thumbsup: check them out on the History Channel Shop :thumbsup::thumbsup:
http://shop.history.com/?v=history_show_the-universe (http://shop.history.com/?v=history_show_the-universe)

The BBC DVD's The Planets are pretty cool too

And yes get the Carl Sagan collection The Cosmos :thumbsup::thumbsup:

They should definatley keep you busy for a while lol :D

[Fox]

OK, an update. There is a relatively recent BBC Horizon special on Saturn & Titan Huygens probe, called "Saturn, Lord of the Rings'. From the small sections on various websites (low res unfortunately) it looks pretty spectacular. Have a look at this site: http://www.veoh.com/search/videos/q/bbc%20horizon#watch%3Dv7034131G7WgQ JQm
Does anyone know where you can download, or buy the DVD? Fox.

PS: I am downloading it from YouTube, will convert it to a video CD, will report back tell you you what its like. Looks as though there are two versions possibly, the original BBC narration (by far the best IMHO) and a USA 'the universe-discovery' narration.

PPS: Whilst we are the topic, there is a book I thoroughly recommend "Roving Mars" by Steven Squyres (as in BBC "The Planets") covering the birth and launch of Spirit and Opportunity. It's a riveting read, you can just visualise the human effort and story involved. Fox!