stargazers live.... thoughts?

[earth titan]

Cool! Astronomy on TV, no matter the quality, is a good thing. Better than the normal offerings.

Typed by me on my fone, using fumms... Excuse eny speling errurs.

[8kids]

Good program. A wide range of info for adults and kids. It will never be purely about stargazing as that wouldn't be very good telly.

Liked the Mars stuff and I never really appreciated the size of Curiosity it's a monster of a vehicle, I'm even more astounded that they landed it and it still works!

[JB80]

Well I enjoyed it no matter what, I understand the weather restraints and couldn't help but laugh when they first cut to the boys and their brollies.

It was mostly filler though and could of done with more emphasis on actual stargazing and the equipment.

I enjoyed the after show more.

[glowjet]

Mixed feelings about the first program, but lets wait till the full three programs have finished, then we can all give a better account as a whole. But it was good to see what can actually be seen through a 4" refractor and anything which promotes Astronomy to wider audiences has to be a good thing anyway. Beautiful clear skies here in North Yorkshire at 11.00 pm

John.

[Seafury]

Hi agree with most of the comments on here would like see and hear people with with their own scopes etc and how to use them, and why do they have to have the token celeb on just to talk nonsense and trying to be funny, too much like a Horizon program needs to be a bit more down to earth, people in their own back yards and small observatories etc, I was getting annoyed with Dara who I really like on panel shows etc but not on this type of show too full of his own importance and again trying to make every comment funny. Brian May would be a much better more serious partner for Brian Cox.

[Rwetherell]

The consensus seems to be that it was rushed and the content wasn't specific enough to the title of the programme - stargazing live.

It must be remembered that when these type of programmes are commissioned they are put together on the basis that those that will watch will either have some experience and want to learn more, or are complete newbies but are interested in becoming involved. They never have been and never will be directed at experienced amateur astronomers. To do that they would be directing a reasonable size proportion of the licence fee to a very small demographic. That isn't going to work because as we all know ratings are king, and a tv programme for a couple of thousand people really wouldn't make sense.

I think that whoever said that Dara had (I assume the producer) in his ear telling him to move it along was probably right. It's live and they have a schedule to stick to so they will have a limited amount of time for each segment. Well why not reduce the number of pieces then?? Well I suspect that's because most of the UK population have the atrtention span of a flea, and any item that last for more than 5 minutes is going to end up in them turning off the tv. Again bad for ratings...

Just my two penneth. I enjoyed it and I'll be watching again tonight.

[Matt Scunthorpe]

I think it seemed really quite rushed. Was just saying in another thread, seemed like they didnt have time for everything they wanted to show or talk about. The back to earth format is much better where is open talking about what pops up in my opinion. A few times Dara and Brian clashed about trying to keep it as science and not comedy. But all in all it wasnt bad, certainly wont put me off watching the next 2 nights.

[Matt Scunthorpe]

Another comment that just sprung to mind, is the closest it got to 'stargazing live' is when Brian was outside talking about dobs and go-to!

[Rapallokid]

I felt that the, programme missed the point a little.

Whilst it was very informative about the Mars missions and the search for life, the programme is called Stargazing live. If there was not the opportunity to show live stargazing then maybe they could have given a beginners/intermediate and advanced session on how scopes work,what scopes are best for what uses, and more general information on Stargazing.

Given how many people turn to Astronomy following these series of programmes, it is clear that it ignites a huge interest.

For me the programme resembled more of one of Brian Cox's How the Universe works programmes.

I think my view is also backed up by the fact that the programme focused so much on Mars when the prominant planet for "Stargazing" just now is Jupiter.

Still, better than the usual tat that can be found onm tv at that time.

RK

[JamesF]

i really don't get why dara is even there as hes not funny at all.

Perhaps because he's an experienced television presenter (more so than Brian Cox, I'd say) with a degree in theoretical physics and a passion for science and cosmology?

James

[Stargazer_00]

I thought it indicated that the programme has been a success in the past and that they are now leaning more to the larger audience than hobbyist astronomers who already are engaged in the hobby. Whatever this country can do to get more people interested in science the better.

To highlight a point, you may feel that this was a little lacking in engaging knowledge for us astronomers, but can you imagine what its like to be a professor (Cox / May) and discuss things like this at such an elementary level when their level is so much greater. You can see this is evident when Cox was discussing "simple" science principles in how hydrogen and oxygen bond. Effects of temperature, pressure, environment etc. Just a few seconds talking he's introduced all manner of physcial princinples that probably baffle the common man and you can tell the way he's explaining it he feels its like telling you how to tie your shoe laces.

For all those that enjoy the debate style of the second show: if you haven't heard of this radio/podcast Cox did/does then you're in for a treat. The Infinite Monkey Cage: http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/timc

[Stargazer_00]

Perhaps because he's an experienced television presenter (more so than Brian Cox, I'd say) with a degree in theoretical physics and a passion for science and cosmology?

James

And he's got a head shaped like a moon.

[JKB]

Meh, fraid I was little impressed.

We don't get many programmes on TV about this great hobby and 'Stargazing Live' is a fantastic opportunity but as before seems wasted on drivel and poor jokes.

Oh well

[Matt Scunthorpe]

They need to have some sort of comedy there as well as just Brian. On a couple of points people have said about why Mars when Jupiter is the best planet at the minute, compared to Mars, there isnt a whole lot they can show about Jupiter that will appeal to the mass market audience, not like being able to show rovers and real samples etc.

While it would of been a nice feature to go over a scope and what is good for what, but then they get into all the brand vs brand and stuff, which i can see them wanting to avoid.

[garethmob]

But they could go into the difference between mak reflector refractor. What each is best and poor at what objects look like through them and the best types of beginner scopes (of course blurring the company name)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk please ignore any spelling typo thingys

[Stargazer_00]

Even just a 10 second plug to a downlodable pdf on the website which guides in buying your first scope (and obviously putting a pdf up for this) would suffice.

[JamesF]

Even just a 10 second plug to a downlodable pdf on the website which guides in buying your first scope (and obviously putting a pdf up for this) would suffice.

You mean like this:

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/tv/stargazinglive/sgl_guide_to_telescopes.pdf

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00n6xqj

Ok, so they didn't mention it directly, but I don't think it took me more than fiteen seconds to find them from their home page and they did plug the website at least once.

James

[Stargazer_00]

Yeah that exactly. You dont want a live show to basicially just walk through a simple buyers guide. I like the fact that they are still doing the show 3 years on. Wish they'd do a summe or autumn series each year too.

[DBushell]

Contrary to what others have said I particularly enjoyed seeing the Mars stuff - it may not be visible much right now, but come on, those images of Mars are downright amazing, we're getting the best footage of the martian surface ever with this rover! and with such a complicated Rover deployment system, it's surely worthy of considerable mention, especially if the broadcasting site had 100% cloud cover.

I also really enjoyed seeing the Mars Curiousity Rover next to the presenter and the chap from NASA giving an idea of the sheer scale of that Rover.

I know looks aren't everything, but the ESA Rover doesn't look the part like Curiousity does, although Iit's results (if it lands in one piece) will prove it's worth.

Brian Cox has a way of wording things in a way that those who are new to the hobby like me can understand, although the scale of everything (the use of the word "billions") still baffles me and is hard to imagine.

Brian May was also very enjoyable to listen to. Dara and Brian Cox combined make the show enjoyable and avoids the scientific content becoming dull broadcasting.

Lets hope for some clear sky tonight so we can see some views.

I do agree with whoever it was that a small piece on types of telescope and how they work with results included would be useful, but not too important as everything they would say would be on here or elsewhere in the internet.

All in all a good first show!

[Cath]

Very glad to see Stargazing Live back on. If only they'd replace all the other 'stuff' with something similar.

Although it was far too rushed, Didn't like seeing Dara cut people down like that to be honest. You could clearly see how frustrated Brian Cox was getting at times.

Mind you, after winning the lottery it matters not to me what they put on tele anymore

[peterbolson]

I thought it was too chatty, boring & irrelevant to what I love ie stargazing. It wouldn't have got me interested in astronomy.

We had clear skys here, the first for 3 weeks, so I switched it off half way through & went outside with my scope & had a wonderful evening searching for star clusters.

[astro mick]

To say these rovers have taken Thousands of pictures,i always seem to be seeing the same few ones.

Dont Nasa release these images.

I,ll try the Nasa site and have a look.

Mick.

As to the programme,yes i enjoyed it,shame about the weather,but that cant be helped.As to more "Telescope Stuff" i think we Amateur Astronomers tend to love our Scopes as much as we do about the stuff we are supposed to find,by looking through them.

I love mine!!!!!

Mick.

[Duns]

Yep - I enjoyed it - really looking forward to the astrophysics in tonight's episode

[Tom2012]

Just watching it atm! Enjoying it but Brian May is on it so that could be why! Haha!

Thought Daras comment about K9 and the 1970's was hilarious!

Tom.

Sent from my LT30p using Xparent ICS Tapatalk 2

[JamesF]

To say these rovers have taken Thousands of pictures,i always seem to be seeing the same few ones.

Dont Nasa release these images.

I,ll try the Nasa site and have a look.

Wouldn't surprise me at all if they have thousands of images but take a selection of the "best" ones, tidy them up and release them to the press so that lazy journos don't have to think too hard. Which in turn means those are the ones they'll tend to end up talking about on science programmes.

James