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(NARRATOR READING)
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NARRATOR: From the beginning of mankind,
people have looked up to the stars,
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wondering what marvels could
be found out there.
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As science and technology developed,
we finally got some answers.
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We learned about our neighbouring planets
that spin around the sun, just like the Earth.
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We found cosmic nebulae
of incredible beauty,
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stars exploding into supernovas
and even black holes.
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Is mankind ready for its biggest discovery?
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With our instruments,
satellites and spacecraft
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becoming more and more advanced,
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we are finding more and more distant planets.
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Is there another Earth
in the vast depths of space?
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And could there be alien life?
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The answers are out there,
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in our universe.
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Earth. Our beautiful blue planet. Our home.
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Seven billion people live here.
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By the sea,
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on land,
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in the mountains
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and in vast cities.
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We have evolved from cavemen
to the information society.
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Science is exploring all aspects of nature,
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be it on our planet or beyond it.
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Huge archives of data have been created,
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providing answers to many questions.
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We have come a long way
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from the beginning of the space age,
when the first satellites were launched,
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and man set foot on the moon.
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Our probes have visited all the planets
of our solar system
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and delivered a lot of data.
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We now have a good understanding of how
our home system in this universe works.
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There are eight major planets.
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Mercury, which is closest to the sun,
and very barren.
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Venus, with her thick atmosphere
and furious volcanoes.
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Earth, the only known planet to host life.
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And Mars, the Red Planet, a neighbour
that has had a lot of human-made visitors.
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Farther out is Jupiter, a giant made of gas,
with over 60 moons.
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Saturn, with its mighty ring system.
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And, finally, Uranus and Neptune,
the "ice giants".
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Beyond them lie huge asteroid fields
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and some dwarf planets, like Pluto and Eris.
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All these heavenly bodies revolve
around the sun.
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It's the centre of our solar system
and also its superpower.
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Without the sun,
life on Earth wouldn't be possible at all.
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Basically, the sun is a gigantic energy
reactor that produces radiation and light.
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In order to be able to look at the sun
with our human eyes,
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we need to decrease its luminosity
by 98% first.
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We are now looking at the pulsating surface.
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The temperature here is
over 3 million degrees Fahrenheit.
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The darker areas are the sunspots.
They are plasma craters the size of the Earth,
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where temperatures are lower.
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The brightest areas, on the other hand,
are solar flares.
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The plasma there reaches temperatures
of up to 10 million degrees.
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These flares can cause ripples that look
just like ripples on a pond from here,
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when in fact the waves are 2 miles high,
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and move at hundreds
of thousands of miles per hour.
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But the highest temperatures are
found in the very core of the sun,
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going up to almost 30 million degrees,
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because in here
hydrogen is constantly fused into helium.
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Through this process of nuclear fusion,
the sun releases energy
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equalling millions of atomic bombs
every second.
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A great deal of this energy is
released in the form of photons.
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These photons dart around the core
at light speed,
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but they collide with matter so often,
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that it takes them thousands of years
to finally escape into open space.
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From there,
they only need about eight minutes
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to cover the 100 million miles to Earth
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and arrive here as what we know as sunlight.
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But the sun doesn't only supply light.
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It's responsible for 99% of the Earth's
energy intake.
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In the entire history of mankind,
we have produced less energy
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than the sun blows out in a second.
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This begs the question,
how is such a powerful object created?
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The answer is, it is born from a cloud
of cosmic dust and gas.
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These vast accumulations of matter can
be found all over the universe.
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They are called nebulae.
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These nebulae come
in many shapes and sizes,
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and many of them are of stunning beauty.
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For example, there is the Horsehead Nebula,
looking like a stallion
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rising out of a pink mist.
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And the Witch Head Nebula,
furiously staring into space
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with eyes made of gigantic stars.
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Or the Flame Nebula that resembles
an inferno towering for millions of miles.
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We are now looking at the Carina Nebula.
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Here, the gigantic star, Eta Carinae,
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is the father of numerous baby stars.
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Eta Carinae has a mass
100 times greater than our sun.
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The star dust this nebula is made of
consists of crystals,
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amorphous substances and molecular chains.
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This matter is blown apart
by the radiating emissions of Eta Carinae.
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The particles are
pushed away at different speeds,
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depending on their density. The results are
chaotic shapes of fascinating beauty.
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Many different patterns emerge,
with finger-like tubes being quite common.
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Here is a famous example that has
been named the "Pillars of Creation".
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Quite fittingly, because in each
of these fingertips, new stars are born.
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The matter here is very dense,
compressed by solar radiation and gravity.
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Eventually, the pressure gets so high,
it triggers an atomic explosion.
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The new star has ignited.
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Instantly, a massive eruption
of solar radiation occurs,
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which develops into a shockwave.
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In the Eagle Nebula, we can see
such a shockwave in the bright contour
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at the top of the formation. This shockwave
acts like a battering ram that compresses
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and ignites matter,
continuing the process of star birth.
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In some cases,
the collected mass isn't big enough,
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and the young sun fails to
keep a nuclear reaction running.
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The result is a brown dwarf,
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an astral body
in between a sun and a huge planet.
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But if the ignition succeeds,
another chain reaction is triggered,
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one that may ultimately lead
to the creation of life.
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The gravity of the newborn sun sets
the matter around it in motion.
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Nearby portions of the nebula are pulled in,
and begin to spiral around the sun.
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A protoplanetary disc is formed.
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As the matter whirls about,
a process of accretion begins.
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This is an effect of zero gravity that
causes particles to cling together.
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That way,
bigger masses of material start to form.
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As these become larger,
they grow into asteroids.
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Directed by the sun's gravitational attraction,
the asteroids move around at high speed.
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They crash into each other repeatedly,
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resulting in the formation
of even bigger masses of rock.
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Eventually, some of them grow large enough
to have a significant gravitational pull,
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and, therefore,
pick up more and more material.
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Over time,
this process leads them to become planets.
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Some of these planets even develop
an atmosphere by collecting particles of gas
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?oating through the surrounding space.
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And our Earth was made the same way.
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After a core had formed from materials
of our sun's protoplanetary disc,
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the young Earth was constantly bombarded
by asteroids and other celestial bodies.
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Back then, Earth was much closer to the sun,
and was very, very hot.
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Its surface was made of one big ocean of lava.
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There was no solid crust, no land,
not even water,
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just heat, lava and fire.
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Comets kept crashing
into that brooding surface,
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raising the temperature with every hit.
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Eventually, the young planet suffered
a massive collision with something huge,
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another planet in the making.
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The impact was so severe,
it ripped off a part of the Earth's mantle.
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The debris then formed a ring around Earth.
Again through the process of accretion,
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this rubble formed the moon
over the course of millions of years.
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Earth, on the other hand, was thrown into
a furious rotation by that horrendous impact.
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It was spinning so fast,
a day lasted only six hours.
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After hundreds of millions of years,
it gradually slowed down again.
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Also, the contents of the sun's
protoplanetaly disc were finally used up,
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having formed the other planets and moons.
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Accordingly,
the astral bombardment decreased,
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so the surface could cool off.
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This led to the formation
of a solid crust of stone.
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Still, there were frequent volcanic eruptions.
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They spat out lava and gases,
and the Earth went through many changes.
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Huge meteors of ice had
brought water from the depths of space,
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which now filled the first oceans.
Over time, an atmosphere was formed.
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Vaporised water condensed, and returned
to the surface in the form of rain.
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A hydrological cycle was set in motion
and over subsequent millions of years,
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evaporation and rainfall eroded
the rocky surface of Earth.
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The Earth's first supercontinent broke apart
several times, and slowly,
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land masses took the shapes
of the continents we know today.
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So there it was, Earth as we know it today.
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Along with its silent companion, the moon.
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Being the closest astral body to Earth,
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the moon has fuelled the imagination
of mankind for millennia.
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The idea of aliens on the moon
has been communicated
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through paintings, songs and literature.
Even some of the first silent movies
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depicted life on the moon. But by the time
man first landed on the moon in 1969,
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it was rightly anticipated that the astronauts
would not encounter any moonsfolk.
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Still, the moon remains truly fascinating.
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Earth's companion is the fifth largest moon
in our solar system.
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It needs four weeks to
orbit once around Earth,
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a fact that is mirrored
in our everyday language.
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The word "month" is a derivative of "moon".
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Through its gravitational pull,
the moon is responsible for the ebb and flow
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of tides in our earthly oceans.
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It even in?uences the navigation and
spawning behaviour of some species of fish
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and insects down here.
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As far as looks are concerned,
the moon remains a bit dull,
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because it is completely covered in grey dust.
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The dust layer is produced by meteor strikes.
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Due to the lack of an atmosphere,
they crash onto the surface of the moon
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without any damping,
and are pulverised in the process.
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The "moon dust" produced this way
actually resembles sand.
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Or, scientifically speaking, regolith.
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Despite the lack of water up here,
we still group the moon's surface
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into areas of "lands" and "seas".
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This is due to the antiquated belief that the
dark areas on the moon contained water.
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We now know that those "seas" are
in fact basins of solidified lava.
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In the moon's early days,
its core was still molten.
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Heavy asteroid hits broke through the crust,
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and the impact craters became filled with lava.
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Interestingly enough, the moon is
still geologically active today.
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In fact, moon-quakes occur
up to 10 times a day.
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Most of these are moderate, but some
reach up to Level 5 on the Richter scale.
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Fortunately, the rocks up here
don't seem to mind.
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Even if the moon's landscape
is lacking variation,
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we still have a great view from here.
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Our blue mother planet rises majestically
and you also get a perfect view of the stars,
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without an atmosphere
or light pollution hindering the outlook,
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like it does from Earth.
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00:15:33,558 --> 00:15:39,144
For the same reason, scientists launched
gigantic telescopes into Earth's orbit.
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00:15:39,230 --> 00:15:42,393
They make a great addition
to deep-space exploration,
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providing answers on the creation
of the universe itself
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Also, they capture stunning images
of stellar nebulae.
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A great example is this shot
of the America Nebula
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that shows the formation's resemblance
to the North American continent.
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00:16:01,210 --> 00:16:05,955
The cameras can also register light
that is invisible to human eyes.
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In infrared view, for example,
this nebula looks entirely different,
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but no less fascinating.
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A totally different visual
experience is provided
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by the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex,
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which is the star factory closest to Earth.
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00:16:32,700 --> 00:16:38,116
The 300 suns we find here have
an average age of 300,000 years.
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That really makes them babies,
from a star's point of view.
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After all, the oldest discovered stars have
been around for over 12 billion years.
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00:16:48,174 --> 00:16:54,295
The Pleiades, also known as the "Seven
Sisters", are also readily visible from Earth.
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00:16:54,388 --> 00:16:58,757
That makes them the subject
of many old scriptures and legends.
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These suns were created when dinosaurs
were still roaming the Earth,
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about 100 million years ago.
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00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:20,028
Some experts believe
that our sun also was born
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in a dense star-forming region
like the Pleiades,
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and moved to its current position
over the course of millions of years.
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All this information can be deduced
from today's opportunities to examine
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the incredible clockwork that is space.
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00:17:34,845 --> 00:17:37,428
Early astronomers didn't have that luxury.
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In the very beginning,
they had to use their naked eye
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to make out the different stellar objects.
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00:17:43,354 --> 00:17:46,096
One of the brightest in the night sky
was Jupiter,
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so the Romans named it after their main god.
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As telescopes were invented and improved,
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vision got clearer and clearer.
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00:17:54,782 --> 00:17:58,525
Today, especially thanks to human
space probes like Voyager,
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00:17:58,619 --> 00:18:03,329
we have a very good understanding
of this largest planet in our solar system.
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00:18:03,416 --> 00:18:06,249
The Babylonians called Jupiter
the "King's Star",
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00:18:06,335 --> 00:18:09,873
and, indeed, it reigns over its own little realm.
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00:18:09,964 --> 00:18:13,923
With its 63 moons, some even planet-sized,
233
00:18:14,010 --> 00:18:17,628
it can almost be described
as its own solar system.
234
00:18:20,474 --> 00:18:23,933
When we take a close look at the planet,
the first thing we notice are
235
00:18:24,020 --> 00:18:28,605
the colourful cloud formations.
Jupiter is a gas giant,
236
00:18:28,691 --> 00:18:32,685
meaning that it's almost exclusively
made of gas.
237
00:18:32,778 --> 00:18:39,320
In 1995, the spacecraft Galileo launched
a probe into these clouds.
238
00:18:42,496 --> 00:18:47,536
On the way down, it recorded violent wind
speeds, and a massively growing pressure.
239
00:18:51,631 --> 00:18:57,047
After diving only 100 miles, the pressure
got high enough to crush the probe.
240
00:19:00,222 --> 00:19:03,305
Further down,
there isn't much else to see anyway.
241
00:19:03,392 --> 00:19:05,633
As the pressure gets higher and higher,
242
00:19:05,728 --> 00:19:10,063
the atmospheric gasses are
liquefied without a visible transition.
243
00:19:10,149 --> 00:19:14,643
This means that Jupiter doesn't even have
any defined surface we could land on.
244
00:19:16,238 --> 00:19:22,109
A very distinctive external feature of
Jupiter's atmosphere is the "Big Red Spot",
245
00:19:22,203 --> 00:19:25,161
a gigantic whirlwind with a fixed position.
246
00:19:25,247 --> 00:19:30,663
Its diameter is three times that of Earth,
and it doesn't seem to run out of steam
247
00:19:30,753 --> 00:19:35,839
After all, its existence was
already recorded in 1664.
248
00:19:35,925 --> 00:19:41,671
All four of the outer planets Jupiter, Saturn,
Uranus and Neptune are gas giants,
249
00:19:41,764 --> 00:19:45,507
so they share a lot of similarities,
like a lack of a surface.
250
00:19:45,601 --> 00:19:50,721
Saturn looks very special, though.
It is accompanied by a massive ring system.
251
00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:54,774
Saturn is the sixth planet of our solar system.
252
00:19:54,860 --> 00:19:57,978
Even though it's almost 1 billion miles away,
253
00:19:58,072 --> 00:20:01,690
it's visible to the naked eye in our night sky.
254
00:20:01,784 --> 00:20:03,900
This is because of its huge size,
255
00:20:03,994 --> 00:20:08,079
over 700 Earth-sized planets
could fit inside it.
256
00:20:08,165 --> 00:20:12,534
Saturn's distinctive ring system
is also gigantic.
257
00:20:12,628 --> 00:20:16,622
Using even the simplest of telescopes,
it can be seen from Earth.
258
00:20:16,799 --> 00:20:19,211
But what are these rings made of?
259
00:20:20,136 --> 00:20:26,257
Once we get closer, we can differentiate
between thousands of sharply-defined rings.
260
00:20:27,393 --> 00:20:32,058
As it turns out, they are not as solid
as they first appear.
261
00:20:34,483 --> 00:20:39,273
In fact, they are made up of asteroids
that circle around the planet.
262
00:20:40,197 --> 00:20:43,531
It's a diverse range of compounds
of different sizes,
263
00:20:43,617 --> 00:20:46,735
from specks of dust up to 10 metres wide.
264
00:20:48,914 --> 00:20:53,408
Some of the smaller moons of Saturn are
ploughing right through these rings.
265
00:20:53,502 --> 00:20:58,121
These moons are called "shepherd" moons,
because their orbits ensure that the rings
266
00:20:58,215 --> 00:21:03,255
are kept nicely in shape,
a shape they have had for millions of years.
267
00:21:04,513 --> 00:21:07,926
Even though Saturn's ring system
really stands out,
268
00:21:08,017 --> 00:21:12,602
the other three gas giants
in our solar system have rings as well.
269
00:21:12,688 --> 00:21:17,228
Those of Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune are
not as visible, though.
270
00:21:17,318 --> 00:21:22,108
They are mostly made up of very
small particles, like cigarette smoke
271
00:21:22,198 --> 00:21:24,986
mixed with some grains of sand.
272
00:21:25,075 --> 00:21:28,284
While Saturn and Jupiter can't
be easily confused,
273
00:21:28,370 --> 00:21:31,533
Uranus and Neptune appear very much alike.
274
00:21:31,624 --> 00:21:34,241
They are the most distant from the sun,
275
00:21:34,335 --> 00:21:36,827
so they don't get too much warmth
and energy.
276
00:21:36,921 --> 00:21:40,164
That's why they are in a subclass
of the ice giants.
277
00:21:40,257 --> 00:21:45,798
And Uranus is the icier one of the two,
even though it is not as far away as Neptune.
278
00:21:45,888 --> 00:21:48,721
But it lacks any form of internal heat source,
279
00:21:48,808 --> 00:21:52,096
which really is an exception
in our solar system.
280
00:21:52,186 --> 00:21:54,644
Scientists assume this has something to do
281
00:21:54,730 --> 00:21:57,973
with a massive collision
Uranus must have had in the past.
282
00:21:58,067 --> 00:22:02,982
Proof of this is the fact that
the axis of Uranus is severely tilted.
283
00:22:03,072 --> 00:22:06,281
Seen from Earth,
we look at it almost from above.
284
00:22:12,498 --> 00:22:15,832
Neptune, on the other hand,
has an internal energy source
285
00:22:15,918 --> 00:22:19,127
and, therefore,
displays a lot more weather effects.
286
00:22:19,213 --> 00:22:22,501
In the upper layers of the atmosphere,
we see gigantic clouds,
287
00:22:22,591 --> 00:22:24,332
several thousand miles long.
288
00:22:24,426 --> 00:22:28,670
They form in stripes, because of the
high rotation speed of the planet.
289
00:22:28,764 --> 00:22:33,349
At the poles, we have auroras,
northern lights that look much more
290
00:22:33,435 --> 00:22:35,676
complex than those we have on Earth.
291
00:22:35,771 --> 00:22:38,479
This phenomenon occurs
when charged particles
292
00:22:38,566 --> 00:22:41,274
of the solar winds enter the atmosphere.
293
00:22:41,360 --> 00:22:43,977
Jupiter's auroras are even bigger, though.
294
00:22:44,071 --> 00:22:48,486
No surprise, as the planet is
almost too big to be true.
295
00:22:48,576 --> 00:22:52,035
If it had gathered some more mass
during its creation,
296
00:22:52,121 --> 00:22:55,705
it could have ignited to
become a sun all of its own.
297
00:22:55,791 --> 00:22:59,659
In that case,
our solar system would have two suns today.
298
00:22:59,753 --> 00:23:03,917
And while this may sound unusual,
our universe has many systems
299
00:23:04,008 --> 00:23:06,591
with more than one central star.
300
00:23:06,677 --> 00:23:11,888
In the Orion Nebula, we even find
four suns very close to one another.
301
00:23:11,974 --> 00:23:16,138
Also, they are among the biggest suns
in the entire cosmos,
302
00:23:16,228 --> 00:23:18,469
hundreds of times bigger than ours.
303
00:23:18,564 --> 00:23:22,057
Their incredible power has
spawned the creation of thousands
304
00:23:22,151 --> 00:23:24,233
of young stars in their vicinity.
305
00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:28,655
Many of these newborn suns are
surrounded by protoplanetary discs,
306
00:23:28,741 --> 00:23:32,860
where matter is shaped up into asteroids,
moons and planets.
307
00:23:32,953 --> 00:23:36,992
Maybe one of those planets will be home
to intelligent life one day.
308
00:23:37,082 --> 00:23:41,827
Our vast powerful universe certainly offers
limitless possibilities.
309
00:23:41,962 --> 00:23:45,876
New worlds are created
on a literally astronomical scale.
310
00:23:45,966 --> 00:23:50,301
Nebulae like Orion cover distances
of hundreds of light years,
311
00:23:50,387 --> 00:23:52,924
producing thousands of new suns.
312
00:23:53,015 --> 00:23:56,679
But everything that has a beginning,
also has an end.
313
00:23:56,769 --> 00:24:00,262
There is not just birth and creation
on mind-bending scales,
314
00:24:00,356 --> 00:24:05,066
but also chaos and destruction
in the same magnitude.
315
00:24:05,152 --> 00:24:09,862
Even incredibly powerful objects
like a sun have to die one day.
316
00:24:09,949 --> 00:24:13,487
But when they go,
they leave behind sites of new conception,
317
00:24:13,577 --> 00:24:15,784
and incredible sights.
318
00:24:15,871 --> 00:24:21,662
The constellation of Taurus is home to one
of the most studied objects in visible space,
319
00:24:21,752 --> 00:24:23,459
the Crab Nebula.
320
00:24:23,545 --> 00:24:26,879
Its torn and furrowed structures
make this nebula look like
321
00:24:26,966 --> 00:24:30,049
a star's explosion frozen in time.
322
00:24:31,637 --> 00:24:37,849
Ancient Chinese astronomers were able to
witness the actual event in 1054 A.D.
323
00:24:37,935 --> 00:24:40,302
The explosion was described as so bright,
324
00:24:40,396 --> 00:24:43,559
it could be seen during daytime here on Earth.
325
00:24:44,316 --> 00:24:49,231
In the 1,000 years that have passed since,
the remaining core of the crab-sun
326
00:24:49,321 --> 00:24:53,189
has turned into an extremely dense
neutron star.
327
00:24:55,411 --> 00:24:59,780
An even more eerie sight is
provided by the Helix Nebula.
328
00:24:59,873 --> 00:25:03,992
Here, the result of a supernova
resembles a gigantic eye.
329
00:25:04,837 --> 00:25:09,832
This similarity becomes most obvious
when viewed in the infrared spectrum.
330
00:25:09,925 --> 00:25:12,462
This disturbing appearance is
more than fitting
331
00:25:12,553 --> 00:25:14,715
for the fatal events that took place there.
332
00:25:14,805 --> 00:25:19,390
When the sun exploded, all planets and
moons of that solar system were either
333
00:25:19,476 --> 00:25:24,937
torn apart by gravitational forces
or vaporised by the expanding sun
334
00:25:25,733 --> 00:25:31,604
But at least some comets survived and still
make their way through this galactic rubble-
335
00:25:33,157 --> 00:25:36,195
Even if we know a lot
about these faraway systems,
336
00:25:36,285 --> 00:25:39,494
it's questionable if mankind
will ever reach them.
337
00:25:39,580 --> 00:25:42,948
Considering that even if we could
travel at light speed,
338
00:25:43,042 --> 00:25:46,034
it would take several thousand years
to get there.
339
00:25:46,128 --> 00:25:51,714
For now, it makes sense to concentrate
on the astral objects in our own vicinity.
340
00:25:51,842 --> 00:25:54,550
And scientists have been very busy here.
341
00:25:55,387 --> 00:25:59,346
The first planet that had
a human-built visitor was Venus
342
00:25:59,433 --> 00:26:03,973
The probe Mariner 2 flew by
in December, 1962.
343
00:26:11,862 --> 00:26:16,652
Venus is the second brightest object
in the night sky, after the moon.
344
00:26:16,742 --> 00:26:19,575
Sometimes we can even see it during daytime.
345
00:26:19,661 --> 00:26:23,780
The reason for this is Venus' dense
light-reflecting atmosphere,
346
00:26:23,874 --> 00:26:26,707
combined with its close proximity to Earth.
347
00:26:26,794 --> 00:26:31,004
And, in addition to being our nearest
neighbour, Venus is even called
348
00:26:31,090 --> 00:26:33,047
the "sister planet" of Earth.
349
00:26:33,133 --> 00:26:35,295
This is because the two of them share
350
00:26:35,385 --> 00:26:38,969
approximately the same size,
density and mass.
351
00:26:39,056 --> 00:26:45,143
Likewise, the gravitational force
on Venus is close to 90% of ours.
352
00:26:45,229 --> 00:26:50,815
But, in spite of these resemblances, there are
major differences that spoil any potential
353
00:26:50,901 --> 00:26:54,439
for Venus to serve as a holiday destination
354
00:26:54,530 --> 00:26:57,943
The number one barrier is Venus' atmosphere.
355
00:26:58,033 --> 00:27:03,528
Comprising almost exclusively
of carbon dioxide, it is toxic for us.
356
00:27:03,914 --> 00:27:05,871
Even worse is the heat.
357
00:27:05,958 --> 00:27:10,247
The temperature on Venus can
reach over 800 degrees Fahrenheit,
358
00:27:10,337 --> 00:27:13,830
making it the hottest place
in our solar system.
359
00:27:13,924 --> 00:27:17,417
Then there is an incredibly high
surface pressure.
360
00:27:17,594 --> 00:27:21,508
The first Russian probes
to arrive here in the 1960s
361
00:27:21,598 --> 00:27:24,807
were literally crushed
by atmospheric pressure.
362
00:27:25,644 --> 00:27:31,230
With the right technology, though, it would
still be possible to land a rover on Venus.
363
00:27:34,570 --> 00:27:38,905
Looking around down here can give you
an idea of what hell might be like.
364
00:27:38,991 --> 00:27:42,484
Sulphuric clouds,
acid rain and active volcanoes
365
00:27:42,578 --> 00:27:45,411
are all on the list of local attractions.
366
00:27:45,497 --> 00:27:49,912
In addition, the heavy clouds are rocked
by lightning and thunderclaps.
367
00:27:52,462 --> 00:27:55,500
The surface is adorned with huge volcanoes.
368
00:27:55,591 --> 00:27:59,505
Among them is Maat Mons,
a giant 5 miles high,
369
00:27:59,595 --> 00:28:02,713
towering over the other Venusian volcanoes.
370
00:28:02,806 --> 00:28:05,889
In total, there are over 50,000 of them.
371
00:28:13,025 --> 00:28:18,520
Another distinctive feature of Venus
are its lava channels of incredible size.
372
00:28:18,614 --> 00:28:23,450
One of them even out-competes the Nile,
Earth's longest river.
373
00:28:23,535 --> 00:28:28,575
It's called Hildr Fossa,
and measures 4,200 miles long.
374
00:28:32,878 --> 00:28:35,336
Even though Venus is our nearest neighbour,
375
00:28:35,422 --> 00:28:39,381
the best-explored extraterrestrial planet
is Mars.
376
00:28:39,468 --> 00:28:44,213
This makes sense, as it would be much
better suited for actual human visitors.
377
00:28:44,306 --> 00:28:48,300
Scientists are currently expecting
a manned mission to the Red Planet
378
00:28:48,393 --> 00:28:51,135
in the '30s or '40s of this century.
379
00:28:51,230 --> 00:28:53,562
So what do we know so far?
380
00:28:53,649 --> 00:28:56,732
Mars is a rocky body, just like Earth.
381
00:28:56,818 --> 00:28:59,059
But it's only half the diameter of Earth,
382
00:28:59,154 --> 00:29:02,442
which makes it the second smallest planet
of our solar system.
383
00:29:02,866 --> 00:29:07,611
Its red colour comes from high amounts
of iron oxide, also known as rust,
384
00:29:07,704 --> 00:29:10,947
that is spread throughout the planet
and its atmosphere.
385
00:29:11,041 --> 00:29:15,080
The air here consists of carbon dioxide
and is very thin,
386
00:29:15,170 --> 00:29:18,504
so Mars cannot store
much of the sun's warmth.
387
00:29:18,590 --> 00:29:23,960
Near the equator, temperatures are around
32 degrees Fahrenheit during the daytime.
388
00:29:24,054 --> 00:29:27,547
At night, it plummets to minus 121.
389
00:29:27,808 --> 00:29:30,015
To explore these conditions in detail,
390
00:29:30,102 --> 00:29:33,220
mankind has sent a number of rovers up here.
391
00:29:33,313 --> 00:29:35,600
And aside from environmental data,
392
00:29:35,691 --> 00:29:39,184
they have also captured
some really nice views.
393
00:29:40,112 --> 00:29:43,650
In summer,
the pole caps made of ice melt down,
394
00:29:43,740 --> 00:29:47,108
which allows for
distinctive cirrus clouds to form.
395
00:29:47,202 --> 00:29:50,069
We can actually see these in the sky here.
396
00:29:50,163 --> 00:29:54,828
In spring, storms are common, which
whip up large quantities of Martian dust.
397
00:29:54,918 --> 00:29:59,458
With wind speeds up to 300 miles an hour,
400 kilometres an hour,
398
00:29:59,548 --> 00:30:02,791
a lot of the surface is cast under a dusty veil.
399
00:30:02,884 --> 00:30:06,673
Sometimes, even small cyclones
called "dust devils " come up.
400
00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:15,269
The landscapes on Mars
offer quite a bit of variation.
401
00:30:15,355 --> 00:30:21,067
In the cooler north, we find the low plains,
which are broad dust-covered ?atlands.
402
00:30:22,154 --> 00:30:26,318
The southern hemisphere has
geologically older formations
403
00:30:26,408 --> 00:30:28,069
and more craters.
404
00:30:30,912 --> 00:30:34,496
The biggest Mars crater
is called Hellas Planitia.
405
00:30:34,583 --> 00:30:40,078
Its basin has a diameter of 1,300 miles,
2,000 kilometres,
406
00:30:40,297 --> 00:30:44,006
and its bottom marks
the lowest point on the entire planet.
407
00:30:45,927 --> 00:30:50,137
Running in parallel to the equator
are the Valles Marineris.
408
00:30:50,223 --> 00:30:55,218
These "Mariner Valleys " are the largest
network of canyons in our solar system.
409
00:30:56,104 --> 00:30:59,642
They stretch out for over 2, 500 miles,
410
00:30:59,733 --> 00:31:02,942
and are up to 440 miles wide.
411
00:31:06,239 --> 00:31:11,029
In the western part they develop
into a maze-like system of valleys
412
00:31:11,119 --> 00:31:13,360
called Noctis Labyrinthus,
413
00:31:13,455 --> 00:31:15,662
the "Labyrinth of the Night".
414
00:31:19,961 --> 00:31:22,293
Speaking of vast proportions,
415
00:31:22,381 --> 00:31:25,669
Mars holds at least two more records.
416
00:31:25,759 --> 00:31:31,550
One being the volcano with the widest base
area, a giant named Alba Patera.
417
00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:34,553
In relation to its 1,000-miles diameter,
418
00:31:34,643 --> 00:31:37,556
its height of 4 miles isn't too impressive,
419
00:31:37,646 --> 00:31:41,139
but Mars also has the Olympus Mons,
420
00:31:41,233 --> 00:31:43,270
reaching 16 miles high,
421
00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:46,853
and the highest elevation
in our whole solar system.
422
00:31:47,489 --> 00:31:48,479
Apart from Earth,
423
00:31:48,573 --> 00:31:53,409
Mars is by far the planet most thoroughly
explored and researched by mankind.
424
00:31:54,246 --> 00:31:59,491
We know that Mars must have had a much
denser atmosphere millions of years ago,
425
00:31:59,584 --> 00:32:02,417
and probably had liquid water on its surface.
426
00:32:02,504 --> 00:32:06,919
Back then, it offered much better conditions
for the creation of life.
427
00:32:07,008 --> 00:32:11,218
That changed when its atmosphere
was thinned out by solar winds.
428
00:32:11,304 --> 00:32:13,511
Still, in the ice of its polar caps,
429
00:32:13,598 --> 00:32:17,933
there could be primitive life
in the form of bacteria or microbes.
430
00:32:18,019 --> 00:32:22,809
After all, such life has been found
in the perpetual ice of our own poles.
431
00:32:22,899 --> 00:32:27,188
And while the chances for life on Mars
might have been better in the past,
432
00:32:27,279 --> 00:32:30,988
they could be far worse,
like those on Mercury for example.
433
00:32:31,074 --> 00:32:33,736
Things are downright hostile there.
434
00:32:33,827 --> 00:32:38,196
Mercury is the last "Earth-like" planet
in our solar system.
435
00:32:38,290 --> 00:32:41,624
Actually, apart from having
a rocky body like Earth,
436
00:32:41,710 --> 00:32:44,873
it has not many other earthly properties.
437
00:32:45,005 --> 00:32:47,793
Visually, this planet resembles the moon.
438
00:32:47,883 --> 00:32:49,965
This corresponds well with Mercury being
439
00:32:50,051 --> 00:32:53,294
the smallest regular planet
in our solar system.
440
00:32:53,388 --> 00:32:56,972
And just like the moon,
Mercury has no atmosphere at all,
441
00:32:57,058 --> 00:33:00,221
which is evident
from the crater-littered surface.
442
00:33:03,732 --> 00:33:08,101
From up here, these craters may
look like innocent footprints in sand,
443
00:33:08,195 --> 00:33:13,235
but once we get closer,
they reveal their true size. They are gigantic.
444
00:33:16,828 --> 00:33:19,991
The largest one is known as the Calorie Basin.
445
00:33:20,081 --> 00:33:23,324
It has a diameter of over 1,000 miles.
446
00:33:23,418 --> 00:33:27,628
This means it must have been caused
by the impact of an astral body
447
00:33:27,714 --> 00:33:29,921
more than 60 miles wide.
448
00:33:33,637 --> 00:33:36,504
Mercury is the planet closest to the sun.
449
00:33:36,598 --> 00:33:38,339
Because of this proximity,
450
00:33:38,433 --> 00:33:42,051
its sun-facing half is heated
to extreme temperatures
451
00:33:42,145 --> 00:33:45,012
reaching 750 degrees Fahrenheit.
452
00:33:45,106 --> 00:33:47,689
On the dark night side, on the other hand,
453
00:33:47,776 --> 00:33:52,145
temperatures go as low as minus 275 degrees.
454
00:33:52,239 --> 00:33:54,071
These conditions make Mercury
455
00:33:54,157 --> 00:33:57,821
the planet with the widest range
of temperature variation.
456
00:33:57,911 --> 00:34:00,949
The day-cycles are similarly extreme.
457
00:34:01,039 --> 00:34:04,202
Due to Mercury's eccentric spin
around the sun,
458
00:34:04,292 --> 00:34:08,661
a night on Mercury lasts for 176 Earth days.
459
00:34:11,424 --> 00:34:15,588
On Mercury, we are almost at the centre
of our solar system.
460
00:34:15,679 --> 00:34:19,547
While a lot of data has been gathered
on the planets and the sun here,
461
00:34:19,641 --> 00:34:24,010
the outer reaches of our domain
still hold a number of secrets.
462
00:34:24,104 --> 00:34:29,315
Beyond Neptune lies the Kuiper Belt,
a vast field of asteroids.
463
00:34:31,236 --> 00:34:36,731
It is home to over 70, 000 objects
of more than 60 miles in size.
464
00:34:36,825 --> 00:34:40,659
These objects are left over from the creation
of our solar system,
465
00:34:40,745 --> 00:34:44,704
material that wasn't included
in the formation of our planets.
466
00:34:44,791 --> 00:34:48,125
Some of these objects gained
more respectable mass.
467
00:34:48,211 --> 00:34:52,421
Best known among them is Pluto.
Identified in the year 1930,
468
00:34:52,507 --> 00:34:55,295
it was the first discovered dwarf planet.
469
00:34:55,385 --> 00:34:59,925
And in 1978,
its companion Charon was found.
470
00:35:00,015 --> 00:35:02,473
The two of them rotate around each other,
471
00:35:02,559 --> 00:35:05,847
as if they were doing a little waltz
through space.
472
00:35:06,855 --> 00:35:09,267
Near the beginning of the second millennium,
473
00:35:09,357 --> 00:35:12,566
more and more dwarf planets
were discovered.
474
00:35:12,652 --> 00:35:15,110
The biggest one among them is Eris.
475
00:35:15,196 --> 00:35:17,654
It's about a fifth the size of our moon
476
00:35:17,741 --> 00:35:20,733
and its bright surface
is made of frozen methane.
477
00:35:21,077 --> 00:35:23,409
Just like their full-grown counterparts,
478
00:35:23,496 --> 00:35:27,285
all dwarf planets have been
named after earthly deities.
479
00:35:27,375 --> 00:35:29,662
Makemake is a Polynesian god,
480
00:35:29,753 --> 00:35:32,211
Sedna, the Inuit goddess of the sea,
481
00:35:32,297 --> 00:35:35,460
and Haumea,
the Hawaiian goddess of child birth.
482
00:35:35,550 --> 00:35:39,088
Still, all of these are
hardly more than asteroids,
483
00:35:39,179 --> 00:35:41,420
drifting through cold, dark space.
484
00:35:41,514 --> 00:35:45,633
The real wonders are outside the boundaries
of our solar system.
485
00:35:45,727 --> 00:35:48,765
After all, our sun is only one star
486
00:35:48,855 --> 00:35:53,144
of an estimated 400 billion in our galaxy,
the Milky Way.
487
00:35:53,234 --> 00:35:56,022
And recent calculations have
come to the conclusion
488
00:35:56,112 --> 00:36:01,448
that over half these suns could
have one or more Earth-sized planets.
489
00:36:01,534 --> 00:36:05,243
So let's have a closer look at the structure
of our home galaxy.
490
00:36:05,830 --> 00:36:09,539
From Earth, you can see parts
of the Milky Way with your naked eye.
491
00:36:09,626 --> 00:36:12,914
It's made from the light
of millions of faraway stars,
492
00:36:13,004 --> 00:36:15,166
arranged in a disc-like structure.
493
00:36:15,256 --> 00:36:17,497
Since we are looking at it from the inside,
494
00:36:17,592 --> 00:36:21,631
it appears to be a band of milky fog
across the sky.
495
00:36:21,721 --> 00:36:27,433
Seen from outside, two mighty spiral arms
define the appearance of our galaxy.
496
00:36:27,519 --> 00:36:31,558
These arms are occupied
by particularly bright stars.
497
00:36:31,648 --> 00:36:37,360
The dark areas in between are by no means
empty, but the suns there are less powerful.
498
00:36:37,445 --> 00:36:42,190
Our own solar system lies far outside
the centre of our galaxy,
499
00:36:42,325 --> 00:36:44,737
within the Orion-Cygnus Arm.
500
00:36:44,828 --> 00:36:49,868
Altogether, the Milky Way has a diameter
of about 100,000 light years.
501
00:36:49,958 --> 00:36:55,044
So even if we could travel as fast as light,
almost 700 million miles an hour,
502
00:36:55,130 --> 00:36:59,465
it would take over 100,000 years
to get from one end to the other.
503
00:36:59,551 --> 00:37:04,546
This begs the question how a formation
of this size can be held together at all.
504
00:37:04,639 --> 00:37:07,722
The spiral shapes and bright centres
of most galaxies
505
00:37:07,809 --> 00:37:10,050
give a hint toward the explanation.
506
00:37:10,145 --> 00:37:15,891
All these individual solar systems
revolve around a central point of gravity.
507
00:37:15,984 --> 00:37:20,444
But what force in the universe could
have such an immense gravity?
508
00:37:20,530 --> 00:37:24,524
The answer would have shocked
astronomers just 50 years ago.
509
00:37:24,993 --> 00:37:26,700
It is a black hole.
510
00:37:26,786 --> 00:37:32,748
They were thought to be science fiction,
but these behemoths really do exist.
511
00:37:32,834 --> 00:37:37,749
Basically, they are stars that have imploded
from the pressure of their own gravity.
512
00:37:37,839 --> 00:37:39,625
This caused a chain reaction,
513
00:37:39,716 --> 00:37:43,630
that draws more and more matter
to the centre of the black hole.
514
00:37:43,720 --> 00:37:46,712
In effect, it becomes denser and denser.
515
00:37:46,806 --> 00:37:50,219
Accordingly,
the mass and gravity keep increasing,
516
00:37:50,310 --> 00:37:53,678
so the black hole grows
more and more powerful.
517
00:37:53,772 --> 00:37:56,764
The stars in the bright centre of most galaxies
518
00:37:56,858 --> 00:38:00,021
are flung around the black hole like yo-yos,
519
00:38:00,111 --> 00:38:03,194
travelling at speeds
of millions of miles an hour.
520
00:38:03,281 --> 00:38:05,613
Black holes seem gruesome in one way,
521
00:38:05,700 --> 00:38:09,785
because they relentlessly obliterate
anything that comes their way.
522
00:38:09,871 --> 00:38:13,956
But most of the suns, planets and moons
are a safe distance away,
523
00:38:14,042 --> 00:38:16,704
so they are not in any danger
of being sucked in.
524
00:38:16,795 --> 00:38:21,164
Instead, the black holes are
the central focus for all of them,
525
00:38:21,257 --> 00:38:25,000
determining the shape and size
of the different galaxies.
526
00:38:25,094 --> 00:38:28,712
A formation like this wouldn't exist
without a black hole,
527
00:38:28,807 --> 00:38:33,552
and we would miss out on some of the
most exciting examples of natural beauty.
528
00:38:34,229 --> 00:38:37,972
Like the Messier 74 galaxy, for example.
529
00:38:38,066 --> 00:38:42,060
It's a classical spiral-shaped galaxy,
not unlike our own.
530
00:38:42,153 --> 00:38:47,193
However, the arms of M74 are
decorated with bright, pink areas.
531
00:38:47,283 --> 00:38:52,824
Those are clouds of gases, lit up
by the ultraviolet light from young stars.
532
00:38:56,543 --> 00:39:00,582
Much more asymmetrical is
the appearance of Messier 66,
533
00:39:00,672 --> 00:39:03,460
the biggest galaxy of the Leo Triplets.
534
00:39:03,550 --> 00:39:06,918
Its displaced looks are
due to the gravitational forces
535
00:39:07,011 --> 00:39:09,093
of its two nearby siblings.
536
00:39:17,397 --> 00:39:22,608
Galaxies are drifting through space,
which allows for exceptional compositions.
537
00:39:22,861 --> 00:39:27,355
For example,
this pair of galaxies known as Arp 273.
538
00:39:27,448 --> 00:39:32,363
Scientists assume that the smaller galaxy
has fully passed through the bigger one,
539
00:39:32,453 --> 00:39:37,118
and as a result,
created a form that reminds us of a rose.
540
00:39:38,710 --> 00:39:44,046
In a couple billion years, our own galaxy
may collide with our neighbour, Andromeda.
541
00:39:44,132 --> 00:39:47,875
Something similar has happened
with the Antennae galaxies.
542
00:39:47,969 --> 00:39:51,837
These two galaxies merged
when they crashed into each other,
543
00:39:51,931 --> 00:39:55,799
and the resulting forces have
spawned billions of new suns.
544
00:39:55,894 --> 00:39:58,932
And who knows?
In one of those young solar systems,
545
00:39:59,022 --> 00:40:00,228
life could emerge.
546
00:40:00,315 --> 00:40:03,728
Or could it already exist
somewhere out there?
547
00:40:03,818 --> 00:40:06,401
Maybe even much closer to us.
548
00:40:06,487 --> 00:40:09,775
Granted, our local planets
don't have the best conditions.
549
00:40:09,866 --> 00:40:12,028
Mercury doesn't have an atmosphere.
550
00:40:12,118 --> 00:40:16,157
It's way too hot on one side,
and way too cold on the other.
551
00:40:16,247 --> 00:40:18,454
Venus has no water on the surface,
552
00:40:18,541 --> 00:40:21,954
because it evaporates in the heat
of the crushing atmosphere.
553
00:40:22,045 --> 00:40:25,128
Mars' atmosphere, on the other hand,
is too thin,
554
00:40:25,214 --> 00:40:28,081
it can store neither warmth nor water.
555
00:40:28,301 --> 00:40:32,511
And the four gas giants Jupiter, Saturn,
Uranus and Neptune,
556
00:40:32,597 --> 00:40:34,884
they do not even have a surface.
557
00:40:34,974 --> 00:40:37,807
But there are not just planets
that could host life,
558
00:40:37,894 --> 00:40:39,760
there are also moons.
559
00:40:39,854 --> 00:40:42,937
Our main planets have
over 100 of them in total,
560
00:40:43,024 --> 00:40:46,267
and some of these are bigger
than the planet Mercury.
561
00:40:46,527 --> 00:40:48,768
An impressive example is lo.
562
00:40:48,863 --> 00:40:53,608
It orbits Jupiter at a distance of 250,000 miles
563
00:40:53,701 --> 00:40:56,238
and is about the same size as our own moon.
564
00:40:56,663 --> 00:41:01,282
On getting a closer look at Io,
you might describe it as a hell of a moon.
565
00:41:01,376 --> 00:41:06,121
After all, the most distinctive structures
on its surface are volcanoes
566
00:41:06,214 --> 00:41:08,706
and lava pools of gigantic dimensions.
567
00:41:10,510 --> 00:41:13,093
There are seas of liquefied sulphur,
568
00:41:13,179 --> 00:41:16,968
an element covering the whole planet
in various aggregate states,
569
00:41:17,058 --> 00:41:19,516
from gaseous to liquid to solid.
570
00:41:20,144 --> 00:41:22,852
This gives lo its colourful appearance.
571
00:41:30,571 --> 00:41:35,691
Of all bodies in our solar system,
lo has the most active volcanoes.
572
00:41:36,869 --> 00:41:42,160
The constant eruptions hurl scorching lava
up to 180 miles high.
573
00:41:46,462 --> 00:41:51,332
Aside from the huge lava pools
that are up to 250 miles wide,
574
00:41:51,426 --> 00:41:55,465
there are also rivers of lava,
that flow hundreds of miles.
575
00:41:57,432 --> 00:41:59,799
Next to the burning heat of the lava,
576
00:41:59,892 --> 00:42:04,181
the temperature instantly drops
to minus 200 degrees.
577
00:42:04,272 --> 00:42:09,517
Extreme conditions like these can't exactly
be called life-friendly environments.
578
00:42:10,278 --> 00:42:14,021
Our next stop in the vicinity appears
to be even colder.
579
00:42:14,115 --> 00:42:16,197
We're closing in on Europa.
580
00:42:16,284 --> 00:42:20,448
This moon is covered
with an ice crust 6 miles deep.
581
00:42:20,538 --> 00:42:24,623
Europa has a very thin atmosphere,
mostly made up of oxygen.
582
00:42:25,543 --> 00:42:27,284
The surface is very bright
583
00:42:27,378 --> 00:42:30,791
and is among the smoothest
and youngest of all moons.
584
00:42:31,299 --> 00:42:37,045
It features a network of chaotic ridges
and trenches which is visually striking.
585
00:42:38,014 --> 00:42:43,180
These so-called Linea are strongly
reminiscent of ice fields on Earth.
586
00:42:47,482 --> 00:42:50,270
Since the positions and alignments
of the Linea
587
00:42:50,359 --> 00:42:53,977
cannot be explained by geological processes,
588
00:42:54,072 --> 00:42:58,066
they are a clue to one of the biggest secrets
of our solar system.
589
00:42:58,159 --> 00:43:02,904
Under Europa's icy crust lies
a huge ocean of liquid water.
590
00:43:03,414 --> 00:43:07,749
This water interacts with the surface,
constantly renewing it,
591
00:43:07,835 --> 00:43:10,497
and the Linea are created in the process.
592
00:43:12,882 --> 00:43:18,468
Scientists are already thinking about a probe
that can drill its way through the ice
593
00:43:18,554 --> 00:43:20,420
and dive into the water,
594
00:43:20,515 --> 00:43:23,678
the element that spawned
the first life on Earth.
595
00:43:24,018 --> 00:43:28,353
Two other important ingredients
are oxygen and warmth.
596
00:43:28,439 --> 00:43:34,276
On the surface of Europa, the average
temperature is minus 240 degrees.
597
00:43:34,362 --> 00:43:39,482
It is too far away from the sun
for any significant warmth to arrive here.
598
00:43:39,575 --> 00:43:45,321
But the gravitation from Jupiter creates
tidal forces that heat up Europa's inside
599
00:43:45,414 --> 00:43:47,781
and keep the water from freezing.
600
00:43:47,875 --> 00:43:52,244
And there is oxygen, too,
released from the ice by cosmic radiation.
601
00:43:52,338 --> 00:43:54,329
According to scientific estimates,
602
00:43:54,423 --> 00:43:59,338
the waters here could be more oxygen-rich
than our earthly oceans.
603
00:43:59,428 --> 00:44:02,796
So, in spite of all the cold on the surface,
604
00:44:02,890 --> 00:44:06,975
Europa is indeed a hot contender
for alien life.
605
00:44:07,061 --> 00:44:10,804
Still, this icy world seems
very different from our own.
606
00:44:10,898 --> 00:44:16,393
There is one that is much more Earth-like,
namely the biggest of Saturn's moons.
607
00:44:17,029 --> 00:44:22,820
Its size alone is impressive. In fact,
it's even bigger than the planet Mercury,
608
00:44:22,910 --> 00:44:26,244
so it has been aptly named Titan.
609
00:44:30,293 --> 00:44:34,412
Titan is the only known moon to
have a really dense atmosphere.
610
00:44:34,505 --> 00:44:38,590
Consisting mainly of nitrogen
and rich in methane.
611
00:44:46,893 --> 00:44:52,855
On the surface, temperatures are as low
as minus 275 degrees Fahrenheit.
612
00:44:52,940 --> 00:44:57,104
Still, Titan has landscapes
that look a lot like those on Earth.
613
00:44:57,528 --> 00:45:00,816
Along the equator lies a region called Xanadu,
614
00:45:00,907 --> 00:45:03,148
which is about the size of Australia.
615
00:45:05,119 --> 00:45:08,157
Here we find mountains of up to a mile high.
616
00:45:08,247 --> 00:45:12,866
They are made of frozen water,
washed out by methane rain.
617
00:45:12,960 --> 00:45:17,204
Due to the low temperatures,
this ice is as hard as rock.
618
00:45:17,298 --> 00:45:19,790
There is no liquid water due to the cold,
619
00:45:19,884 --> 00:45:24,970
instead, pools and even seas of methane
define the landscapes.
620
00:45:28,976 --> 00:45:34,221
In contrast to the methane seas are
desert-like areas dominated by dunes.
621
00:45:40,988 --> 00:45:46,108
These dunes are several hundred miles long
and up to 500 feet high.
622
00:45:48,329 --> 00:45:53,995
They are made of organic materials that
dried out after raining onto Titan's surface.
623
00:45:55,002 --> 00:46:00,168
With all these visual similarities to our Earth,
it's easy to imagine life here.
624
00:46:00,258 --> 00:46:05,594
Because of the cold, it is impossible
for water-based life forms to exist,
625
00:46:05,680 --> 00:46:10,049
but current data from Titan
has given us exciting clues.
626
00:46:10,142 --> 00:46:13,931
Scientists speculate that there may
be methane-based organisms
627
00:46:14,021 --> 00:46:17,764
that consume hydrogen
just in the way we consume oxygen.
628
00:46:17,858 --> 00:46:21,476
No one knows what these creatures
could be like.
629
00:46:21,570 --> 00:46:23,777
The course of action is clear, though.
630
00:46:23,864 --> 00:46:28,609
We have to send more spacecraft,
probes and rovers out there
631
00:46:28,703 --> 00:46:31,286
to look under every icy bit of rock.
632
00:46:33,541 --> 00:46:39,127
Still, we have another interesting astral body
on our list that is mostly unexplored.
633
00:46:39,213 --> 00:46:43,298
It's a dwarf planet, but it's much closer
than those in the Kuiper Belt.
634
00:46:43,384 --> 00:46:48,220
There is another ring of asteroids located
between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
635
00:46:48,306 --> 00:46:51,674
And, there, we find the icy world of Ceres.
636
00:46:51,767 --> 00:46:56,136
The spacecraft Dawn will
be the first to visit here in 2015,
637
00:46:56,230 --> 00:46:58,187
to provide detailed information.
638
00:46:58,274 --> 00:47:01,892
But Ceres is also known
to be similar to Europa,
639
00:47:01,986 --> 00:47:04,978
maybe it even has a subglacial ocean.
640
00:47:05,072 --> 00:47:09,987
This is especially exciting, as even Earth
was once completely frozen over,
641
00:47:10,077 --> 00:47:13,240
while life in the subglacial ocean
was retained.
642
00:47:13,331 --> 00:47:18,167
There are many wonders to be found
out there, even in our own solar system.
643
00:47:18,252 --> 00:47:20,209
So who can tell what the chances
644
00:47:20,296 --> 00:47:23,834
of extraterrestrial life are
in the entire universe?
645
00:47:23,924 --> 00:47:25,005
Look at this image.
646
00:47:25,092 --> 00:47:30,337
At first glance, it seems to be a typical
snapshot of our night sky, with a lot of stars.
647
00:47:30,431 --> 00:47:32,763
Actually, this isn't too far off.
648
00:47:32,850 --> 00:47:37,014
The surprise is that the area we see here
is so small,
649
00:47:37,104 --> 00:47:41,439
it's only a tenth the space the moon
takes up in our field of view.
650
00:47:41,525 --> 00:47:44,643
And what we see shining
there aren't just stars.
651
00:47:44,737 --> 00:47:48,856
No, all these little lights
are full-blown galaxies.
652
00:47:49,116 --> 00:47:50,322
Just imagine that.
653
00:47:50,409 --> 00:47:53,868
Behind a piece of our sky
about the size of a fingernail,
654
00:47:53,954 --> 00:47:57,072
there are more than 10,000 galaxies.
655
00:47:57,166 --> 00:48:00,875
Each galaxy contains
billions of solar systems,
656
00:48:00,961 --> 00:48:05,501
so even if there is no other case
of intelligent life in our solar system,
657
00:48:05,591 --> 00:48:10,256
what about the probability when we multiply
these chances by a trillion?
658
00:48:10,763 --> 00:48:12,970
For now, we can only speculate,
659
00:48:13,057 --> 00:48:17,472
and dream about the fascinating worlds
that could be waiting out there.
660
00:48:17,561 --> 00:48:19,802
Out there in our universe.66782
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