To celebrate the ABC’s major TV event Stargazing Live, hosted by Professor Brian Cox and Julia Zemiro on 4,5,6 April, the ABC is showcasing a comprehensive suite of astronomy themed content across ABC Radio, TV and online.
Also available now is a special collection of space-themed content on ABC iview including episodes of Brian Cox: Life of the Universe, Catalyst and Stargazing For Beginners. Contributions from ABC Open and Stargazing Live extras will be added throughout the week.
There’s plenty of space, sci-fi and out-of-this-world content for kids and families too. In the series premiere of Here to There (9.30am Monday 3 April, ABC Kids) the beloved Rocket Clock returns to Play School, reimagined by leading Australian artist, writer & Academy Award winning film maker Shaun Tan.
ABC ME fans can watch Stargazing For Beginners (5.35pm, 3-10 April), Journey into Space with Dr Duffy and Grace (5.30pm Saturdays, 1-29 April) and the premiere of Space Stars (5.30pm Tuesdays, 11-24 April) in which Grace Koh meets some of the biggest stars of astronomy on the planet.
Following each night’s Stargazing Live broadcast on ABC will be Back To Earth: Stargazing Live, a 30-minute special on ABC2 in which viewers can take part in discussions live on air with Brian Cox, Julia Zemiro and a panel of experts. Viewers can ask questions using #StargazingQuestions
Anyone who feels dizzy when thinking about the incomprehensible scale of space will be delighted by Cosmic Vertigo, a brand new astronomy podcast from the RN Science Unit.Hosted by Dr Alan Duffy and Dr Amanda Bauer, the first four episodes are available now with new episodes each week.
A galactic cluster of astronomy and space-related stories launched during the RN Science Show on Saturday 1st April (repeated Thursday 1pm), while space-themed music will feature across the ABC metro and regional radio network.
Budding space explorers can download RN’s Audio Sky Tour, step outside and ‘look up’ in the company of well-known Australian astronomer Fred Watson, who narrates some of the highlights that are visible in the April sky. The tour, along with a written feature and a printable sky map, is available on the ABC News website.
The Square Kilometre Array, a global next-generation radio telescope project with a large “pathfinding” outpost in the remote Murchison district of WA, features in RN’s Off Track program. A video feature can be found on the ABC RN Facebook page.
To celebrate the final night of Stargazing Live on Thursday 6 April, the ABC is hosting free community events at Federation Square in Melbourne and ANU Mount Stromlo Observatory which will feature interactive displays, guest presentations as well as a screening of the live broadcast.
For more information on how to get involved in the broadcast and access the best in ABC astronomy content, please visit www.abc.net.au/stargazing
Viewers can submit their night sky photos or timelapse videos and join the Stargazing Live conversation using #StargazingABC. So far over 2,200 images have been shared, and a selection of the best will feature in each episode of the Stargazing Live.
Stargazing Live 4,5,6 April 2017 8.30pm AEST & ABC iview, 8pm SA + NT, 8.30pm AWST
Back To Earth: Stargazing Live 9.30pm AEST on ABC2 & ABC iview, 9pm SA + NT, 9.30pm AWST
Stargazing Live and Back to Earth: Stargazing Live will also be streamed live on ABC TV Facebook, ABC2 Facebook and ABC TV’s YouTube Channel.
Stargazing Live is based on a format devised by the BBC, licensed by BBC Worldwide and produced by FremantleMedia Australia for the ABC.
