It Came From Outer Space
As shooting stars vaporise in the atmosphere, a small part of some of them falls to earth as dust. Chris Lintott and Maggie Aderin-Pocock investigate.
In August, the most spectacular meteor shower of 2017 coincides with transmission: The Perseids! If it's clear, it'll be a great chance to see scores of bright shooting stars streaking across the night sky. As those shooting stars vaporise in the atmosphere, a small part of some of them will fall to earth as dust.
This dust will contribute to a total of about 40,000 tonnes of space dust and debris that falls onto our planet every year. In this episode, Chris Lintott and Maggie Aderin-Pocock investigate this mysterious cosmic debris that comes from outer space.
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Clips
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Modelling Meteorite Impacts
Duration: 04:22
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Using Radio Waves to Spot Meteors from Indoors
Duration: 02:33
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Impact Craters on the Hubble Space Telescope
Duration: 02:01
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Starguide: August 2017
Duration: 03:58
Music Played
Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes
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00:01
Jean Sibelius
Pelleas and Melisande: At The Castle Gate
Performer: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Thomas Beecham.
Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Presenter | Maggie Aderin-Pocock |
Presenter | Chris Lintott |
Presenter | Pete Lawrence |
Executive Producer | Jonathan Renouf |
Series Producer | Tim Usborne |
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