About Stargazing LIVE
BBC
Stargazing LIVE returns!
Stargazing LIVE returned for a second series this January. Broadcasting live from the control room of the Jodrell Bank radio observatory in Cheshire, the show was presented by Professor Brian Cox and Dara O Briain with Liz Bonnin reporting from an international site of astronomical interest.
See the links below for a selection of astronomy interactives and free related learning materials then check out the tabs above for Flickr updates (these photos are by individual Flickr users; the BBC and The Open University are not responsible for their content). If all this piques your interest, find out more about The Open University's popular physics and astronomy courses.
To find out more, visit the BBC pages where you can also download a free star and moon guide.
Get closer to the stars with The Open University
If you've really enjoyed the Stargazing Live experience, you might like The Open University's brand-new short course, Galaxies, Stars And Planets.
Stargazing LIVE on Flickr
BBC
Stargazing LIVE returns!
Episode guide
OU on the BBC: Stargazing LIVE - Episode 1
BBC
Dara O Briain and Professor Brian Cox return for a new series celebrating the wonder of our amazing night sky. What's in the first programme? Read more : OU on the BBC: Stargazing LIVE - Episode 1
OU on the BBC: Stargazing LIVE - Episode 2
BBC
Black Holes and light pollution are looked at in the second episode of Stargazing LIVE Read more : OU on the BBC: Stargazing LIVE - Episode 2
OU on the BBC: Stargazing LIVE - Episode 3
BBC
The hunt for extra terrestrial life is discussed on the final night of Professor Brian Cox and Dara O Briain's astronomical adventure Read more : OU on the BBC: Stargazing LIVE - Episode 3
Stargazing interactives
Virtual planisphere
Open2 team - screenshot from interactive
Use our virtual planisphere to track the night skies throughout the year Read more : Virtual planisphere
Virtual Microscope
Examine moon rocks and meteorites up close with our Virtual Microscope Read more : Virtual Microscope
You are here
Used with permission
Get to know the neighbourhood, with our interactive guide to our position in space – find out more about the Milky Way, the 30 or... Read more : You are here
Explore the Solar System
photos.com
Explore the planets in our Solar System with our interactive guide. Read more : Explore the Solar System
Universe timeline
NASA
From the Big Bang to the possible end, explore the story of our universe Read more : Universe timeline
Free learning materials
The Moon
Learning Space 
Used with permission
As the only planetary body everyone is familiar with seeing in the sky, the Moon has long been an object of fascination and speculation. This... Read more : The Moon
Telescopes and spectrographs
Learning Space 
Used with permission
This unit looks at how telescopes and spectrographs are designed to improve our ability to observe the universe. You will examine how different technologies have... Read more : Telescopes and spectrographs
Comparing stars
The Open University
Even from Earth, you can discover a lot simply by comparing stars Read more : Comparing stars
Jupiter and its moons
Learning Space 
Used with permission
Jupiter has long been an object of wonder, with its dramatic Great Red Spot, its numerous and varied satellites and the stunning collision of the... Read more : Jupiter and its moons
Icy bodies: Europa and elsewhere
Learning Space 
Used with permission
The new discipline of astrobiology – that is, the science of searching for extraterrestrial life – is not only rapdly growing, but has also captured... Read more : Icy bodies: Europa and elsewhere
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jawad
really Nice point of view.
(commercial website removed by OpenLearn Moderator 19.01.12)
Black hole at the centre of the galaxy
In Episode 2 of Stargazing (17 January), Brian Cox stated that the object at the centre of Galaxy was 4 million times as massive as the sun. As it was smaller than the orbit of Neptune, the only possible object was a black hole.
An object 4 million times as massive as the sun (with the same density) would have diameter of 160 (cube root of 4 million) times that of the sun. As the sun is half a degree wide from Earth, an object 160 times as wide would be 80 degrees wide as seen from Earth and so would fit inside its orbit, give a bit of skin cancer, but no need, on these figures, to invoke a black hole.
Black hole at the centre of the galaxy - reply
Any condensed body with 4 million times the mass of the Sun could not sustain itself against collapse. There is no way it could have the same density as the Sun if its size (from other measurements) was less than the size of Neptune's orbit - it would have to collapse into a black hole under the pull of its own gravity, because matter does not have the strength to resist such a strong pull.
Stargazing live
Really looking forward to this, living in the north-west of England, we have such an excess of light pollution, so bad seeing the moon is an achievement sometimes! Have to travel into Wales to get anything like a clear sky usually...
light pollution
I think even Jodrell bank itself has to compete with all the various signals associated with modern society and over the years it has got more and more complex with mobile technology etc... I'm not sure how they filter through all that these days to enable a clear crisp signal, maybe they can explain that!. I got the book 'The Story Of Jodrell bank' by Sir Bernard Lovell and it's very interesting to read all about the history of this radio telescope. The fact that Bernard Lovell is still around is amazing, which goes to show that you can remain a scientist for life beyond the general expected retirement age and that's something to look up to. I think that's the best way to be with science. Cool.
I have not had TV for about 5 or 6 years now so I could concentrate on studying but I may go back to it at some point as I miss been able to tune into programmes like this. Sounds good.