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How did the solar system form? Are we alone in the Universe? What are alien atmospheres made of? These questions can be answered by studying the solar system's vast family of satellites. This collection of videos looks at five of the most intriguing worlds that we've managed to visit over the last fifty years, including The Moon, Europa, Phobos, Deimos and Titan. From the first human footsteps on another world to the most distant spacecraft landing in history, our neighbourhood of moons has always played a central role in our exploration of the planets. For an introductory astronomy course, try The Open University course S194 Introducing astronomy.
Track 4: The Moon
When Apollo 17 lifted off from the lunar surface in 1972, it ended the greatest chapter of exploration in human history. For nearly 40 years the moon has remained abandoned and untouched. But the secrets locked up in the Apollo samples are continuing to change our view of our nearest neighbour. Archive footage appears courtesy of Footagevault.
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Tracks in this podcast:
| Track | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Europa | The quest to find life elsewhere in the universe is biggest in modern science. An ice covered ocean on a small world orbiting Jupiter may hold the answers to this fundamental question. Archive footage appears courtesy of Footagevault. Play now Europa |
| 2 | Phobos and Deimos | Named after the Greek gods of fear and dread, Mars's two moons remained undiscovered until the late 19th century. Since the start of the Space Race they've been minor supporting characters in our quest to understand the Red Planet, but an ambitious new mission may be about to move them centre stage. Archive footage appears courtesy of Footagevault. Play now Phobos and Deimos |
| 3 | Titan | The landing of the Huygens probe in 2005 unveiled the surface of Saturn's mysterious largest moon for the first time in history. Six years on, the data from the mission and its Cassini mother craft has revealed it to be a fascinating world of methane lakes, rainstorms and cryo-volcanoes. This film brings us the latest news from the orangey world, including audacious plans for a return splashdown. Archive footage appears courtesy of Footagevault. Play now Titan |
| 4 | The Moon | When Apollo 17 lifted off from the lunar surface in 1972, it ended the greatest chapter of exploration in human history. For nearly 40 years the moon has remained abandoned and untouched. But the secrets locked up in the Apollo samples are continuing to change our view of our nearest neighbour. Archive footage appears courtesy of Footagevault. Play now The Moon |
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