Wonders of the Solar System

Picidae · #1 (**permalink**) 22-03-2010, 10:21 PM

I'm putting this in the astronomer's forum rather than the TV forum, just in case you star peeps haven't been watching.

Professor Brian Cox has to be one of the most accessible presenters (and talks much slower than Patrick Moore ever used to!) a science numpty like me could wish for. This programme series is brilliant!

Did anyone see the photos from Titan? Methane rain, Methane lakes, Methane land masses ... I was over awed.

Absolutely hats off to the BBC for a top programme on the solar system with a top presenter.

More here;
Professor Brian Cox: bringing the solar system to your living room - Telegraph

pressld2 · #2 (**permalink**) 22-03-2010, 11:07 PM

Apologies in advance but I'm going into "grumpy old man" mode here! I shall stick with the series as it has got some great visuals and is giving me a chance to catch up with some of the results from the more recent probes like Cassini/Huygens. But...

Does Brian Cox ever stop grinning? He's like a kid locked in a sweet shop! And why on earth is he clocking up more airmiles than Alan Whicker? I've only watched the first two programmes so far and already he's been to four different locations in the continental US, the Amazon Basin, The Atacama Desert, Iceland, Norway, India, Morocco and a couple of other places in Africa - all with at least one cameraman, a sound recorder and a production assistant in tow, probably more! If he finishes the series without a trip to Australia I’ll eat my telly. All for a programme that could easily have been made entirely in the UK with maybe the odd bit of relevant stock footage to illustrate a point. Perhaps all this unnecessary globe-trotting at license payers expense is the reason for the Cheshire Cat impersonation?

Dave P.

Anty Patty · #3 (**permalink**) 24-03-2010, 03:23 PM

I agree this is a great series and opened up the subject to me. great visuals and a happy cheerful presenter - he does get to drive and do some amazing things during the series - lucky him to get a plum job like that!

Connor7 · #4 (**permalink**) 24-03-2010, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pressld2

Does Brian Cox ever stop grinning?
Dave P.

And he's like that in real life! He was very passionate about astronomy, you could tell that he found it all amazing and that he loved it very much.

Also gave a very interesting lecture

bob.phillips · #5 (**permalink**) 24-03-2010, 09:17 PM

Yes Dave, your'e right. You are a 'grumpy old man'. So, he gets about a bit but he's such a nice bloke. So enthusiastic and is able to explain these difficult issues to us mere mortals. I hope he doesn't go to Australia so we can all see how you get on eating the telly

Regards,

Bob P.

pressld2 · #6 (**permalink**) 24-03-2010, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob.phillips

Yes Dave, your'e right. You are a 'grumpy old man'. So, he gets about a bit but he's such a nice bloke.

Yeah, just ignore me - I'm only jealous because although he's only two years younger than me he still looks about 12!

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob.phillips

I hope he doesn't go to Australia so we can all see how you get on eating the telly

LOL! Well he added Alaska, Canada, Namibia and South Africa in the last episode so I think the odds are still in my favour.

Dave P.

Monkey Orchid · #7 (**permalink**) 25-03-2010, 07:57 AM

I was really impressed with this series, both the content and the visuals. Prof Cox is a natural presenter, he gets across lots of information in an accessible and enthusiastic style. And he doesn't seem to travel about any more than, say, David Attenborough did during the making of such series as Life On Earth and suchlike. I mean, the guy's making a series about the solar system and he doesn't travel to any other planets... So he is showing some restraint.

I'd rather watch a series like this than some of the frankly rather tired formats about killer sharks, matey meerkats etc. I love good quality programmes about the natural world/the environment, and this series definitely qualifies.