The Universe - Season 1 (2007) History Channel

Part 4: Jupiter, the Giant Planet

Part 4: Jupiter, the Giant Planet

Season 1, Episode 4 – Aired: 6/19/2007

This series takes a fascinating new look at a very old universe. Fifty years after man first ventured into outer space, we examine the greatest secrets of the heavens. Each episode outlines how humans have explored the universe, and scrutinises the discoveries they have made. We look at hi-tech space telescopes which record the violent birth of stars, robotic rovers which glimpse the red surface of Mars, and sophisticated NASA probes which delve into the mysterious make-up of comets. As the earth churns ominously with the effects of global warming, this is a revealing and prescient journey into the heavens. From the planets to the stars and out to the edge of the unknown, history and science collide in this epic exploration of the Universe and its mysteries. In ‘Jupiter’, we journey half a billion miles from the earth’s surface to a mini solar system of over 60 moons rotating around a powerful planet of gas. Its flowing colours and spots hold strange beauty, but contain violent storms and jet streams. Could this big, bright ball of turbulent weather have been the star of Bethlehem? Could one of its moons harbour life beneath its icy crust? Jupiter, the giant planet, is the king of many questions concerning our solar system and could possibly hold the answers.

THE UNIVERSE (2007)

Description



At no other time since humans first contemplated the stars has our understanding of the unimaginably vast Cosmos grown so rapidly. We know immeasurably more about what's beyond our atmosphere than we did a century ago. We know far, far more than we knew even a decade ago. In this epic documentary series, THE UNIVERSE SEASON 1 takes you to the leading edge of our ever-expanding astronomical knowledge. A virtual collision of astronomy and history, these 12 dense, enlightening hours (14 episodes total) of unprecedented programming give unique insight - through recreations and animations - on the great "Eureka!" moments of celestial understanding and into the very latest celestial discoveries.



And with these strikingly realistic computer reconstructions, you'll travel to the outer edges of the Known. Tour THE UNIVERSE! Experience the Cosmos as no-one ever has - not peering at dots through a telescope or scanning pages of numbers - but firsthand. Flirt with a black hole's Event Horizon, rove the surface of Mars, and plunge into the Sun. Further, this series gives serious, constructive consideration to the great human questions: Are we alone? Is Planet Earth as insignificant to the Cosmos as a drop of water? Is there anywhere else out there that that can support life? Or, is there truly no place like home?

EPISODES

Part 1: Secrets of the Sun

Aired: 5/29/2007

Behold the sun and all of its glory. Learn all things about the sun ranging from its beginning to its death. Also learn about how stars work in general and MUCH MUCH more.



Part 2: Mars the Red Planet

Season 1, Episode 2 – Aired: 6/5/2007

Visit the planet most like Earth. There is a discussion of what life on Mars would be like and about the life forms that could've evolved there.



Part 3: The End of the Earth

Season 1, Episode 3 – Aired: 6/12/2007

Find out what is being done to prevent the end of the world from threats from outer space such as comets and asteroids. Also discussed are apocalyptic scenarios.



Part 4: Jupiter the Giant Planet

Season 1, Episode 4 – Aired: 6/19/2007

Visit the largest planet in our solar system, Jupiter, with over 60 moons.



Part 5: The Moon

Season 1, Episode 5 – Aired: 6/26/2007

The moon is the subject of discussion. Learn about what the moon is made of and about moons on other planets.



Part 6: Spaceship Earth

Season 1, Episode 6 – Aired: 7/10/2007

Take a ride through the formation of the third planet from the Sun, Earth. A survivor of one of the most violent neighbourhoods in the universe, learn how earth was created and discover what creatures hold clues to how life began. What evil forces threaten the demise of Earth?



Part 7: The Inner Planets Mecury and Venus

Season 1, Episode 7 – Aired: 7/17/2007

Scorched by their proximity to the sun, Mercury and Venus are hostile worlds; one gouged with craters from cosmic collisions and the other a vortex of sulphur, carbon dioxide and acid rain. Prime examples of planets gone awry, do they serve as a warning for ominous scenarios that might someday threaten Earth?



Part 8: Saturn Lord of the Rings

Season 1, Episode 8 – Aired: 7/24/2007

Are the rings of Saturn a real celestial phenomenon or merely a cosmic Illusion? Technology allows the experts to get closer to the furthest planet visible to the naked eye. Old questions are answered and new ones arise. Does Saturn hold the key to Earth's weather and will one of its moons supply us with all the oil we'll ever need?



Part 9: Alien Galaxies

Season 1, Episode 9 – Aired: 7/31/2007

Our galaxy is one of hundreds of billions in the universe. View of universe through the Hubble telescope and go back almost all the way to the Big Bang.



Part 10: Life and Death of a Star

Season 1, Episode 10 – Aired: 8/7/2007

Ignited by the power of the atom, burning with light, heat and wrath, stars are anything but peaceful. They collide, devour each other, and explode in enormous supernovas--the biggest explosions in the Universe.



Part 11: The Outer Planets

Season 1, Episode 11 – Aired: 8/14/2007

This episode details outer lying planets and their moons. Included will be Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. Using CGI, we will also see what alien life might look like on other worlds.



Part 12: The Most Dangerous Place in the Universe

Season 1, Episode 12 – Aired: 8/21/2007

Take a tour of the cosmic hot zones--black holes, galaxy mergers, gamma ray bursts and magnetars. Super black holes can literally lasso Earth out of the solar system. A clash between two galaxies can result in a ritual called galactic cannibalism. Magnetars are a cosmic magnetic force so strong it could wipe out data on every credit card.



Part 13: Search for ET

Season 1, Episode 13 – Aired: 8/28/2007

Are we alone? SETI--the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence--is a privately funded project using radio telescopes and optical telescopes to scan the stars for signals.



Part 14: Beyond the Big Bang

Season 1, Episode 14 – Aired: 9/4/2007

The universe began with a massive expansion, billions and billions of years ago, and it continues to expand with every passing second. The idea that the universe, and man's very existence, began with a "Big Bang" is no longer a topic of debate among most scientists--it is essentially taken as fact.

Source: MVGroup

Review, from Amazon.com

The sky and outer space have fascinated man for centuries and the History Channel's series The Universe is the story of man's study of the cosmos from his earliest attempts to map and understand the heavens through modern day scientific studies, advances, and theories. A mix of historical footage, modern space imaging, and conceptual computer graphics presented in high-definition, the visual component of this production is absolutely breathtaking. Each of the 13 44-minute episodes begins with a general introduction of subjects ranging from the sun to individual planets, alien galaxies, the search for extra-terrestrial life, and scientific theories like the Big Bang. Each topic is then broken down into a series of segments that detail specific ideas, theories, or components integral to the understanding of the main topic as well as historical material, current studies and theories, and projections of potential future events and scientific advances. The 90-minute "Beyond the Big Bang" feature relates "the story of everything"--from the universe's formation following the "Big Bang" to its eventual projected demise from unchecked expansion dubbed the "Big Rip." Leading experts from universities and scientific institutions around the world do a great job of taking very complex subjects like galaxies with spiral density arms and relating them to easily graspable concepts like a city with a downtown core surrounded by suburbs and plagued by freeway traffic jams. Amazing photographs from the Hubble space telescope, infrared views from the Spitzer space telescope, and x-ray images from the Chandra X-ray Observatory augment understanding as do demonstrations of modern science's ability to simulate historical events like the formation of earth and to project future cosmic events. The Universe is a fascinating and understandable study of space that speaks to viewers ranging from the generally curious to the serious student of cosmology. --Tami Horiuchi