Video Documentaries

For past three and a half years, ESA's Gaia Space telescope has been mapping the heavens in unprecedented detail. At the end of April 2018 it released precise data on over 1.3 billion stars in the Milky Way showing how they move over time and their distance from Earth. Maggie and Chris reveal some of the most surprising initial findings, from the discovery of wandering black holes, hyper velocity stars and 'transient phenomena' to a brand new age map of the Milky Way and concrete evidence of how our galaxy formed. The Sky at Night - Your monthly journey through the fascinating world of space and astronomy. Our team of astronomers explain the latest thinking on what's out there in space and what you can see in the night sky.

Venus, Earths Twin How can two such similar planets have become so different? One is the crucible of life, the other an inferno with a surface scorched by raining acid, yet both began as almost identical bodies. With Venus prominent in the sky in May, the team explores our nearest neighbour, discovering how it formed and how ESA's Venus Express spacecraft has revealed the secrets of its atmosphere.   Dr Lucie Green explores what happened to leave Venus with searing temperatures and acid rain, and talks to Climate expert Dr Hugo Lambert about whether it could happened to Earth.