Catch up TV
Engineering the Universe
Chris Lintott and the team explore the extraordinary engineering, both on Earth and millions of kilometres above it in space, that is transforming modern astronomy and revealing parts of the cosmos once thought forever beyond our reach. \n\nGeorge Dransfield travels to Marseille to investigate KM3NeT, one of the most ambitious scientific instruments ever constructed. Covering more than a cubic kilometre of the Mediterranean Sea, this vast underwater observatory is searching for neutrinos, elusive 'ghost particles' that pass through planets, stars and even our own bodies almost entirely unnoticed. By detecting these cosmic messengers, astronomers hope to uncover the origins of some of the most violent and energetic events in the universe, from exploding stars to the environments around supermassive black holes. \n\nThe programme also explores gravitational-wave astronomy and the remarkable international network of detectors capable of measuring distortions in space-time smaller than an atom. These instruments have opened an entirely new way of observing the cosmos, allowing scientists to detect collisions between black holes and neutron stars across the universe. \n\nIn Cambridge, Chris visits a team attempting to tackle one of cosmology's biggest mysteries using a tabletop experiment. By cooling atoms to almost absolute zero and manipulating them with ultra-precise lasers, researchers are building a laboratory system that could one day probe some of the quantum physics thought to have shaped the universe in its earliest moments. \n\nFinally, Maggie Aderin explores Nasa's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, a new observatory designed to search for distant worlds beyond our solar system. Its revolutionary coronagraph will suppress the overwhelming glare of distant stars, potentially allowing astronomers to directly image planets orbiting them and paving the way for future missions that could search Earth-like worlds for signs of life.\n \nFrom particle detectors deep beneath the Mediterranean to ultra-cold quantum experiments and next-generation space telescopes, this programme reveals how human ingenuity is creating entirely new ways to explore the cosmos and uncover its deepest secrets.
Source: BBC 4
Most recent episodes of The Sky at Night
The Sky At Night
La Palma - Gateway To The Universe
On the volcanic peaks of La Palma, revolutionary new telescopes and cutting-edge technology are opening a new chapter in our exploration of space. High above the clouds, The Sky ...
09-11-2026
BBC 4
The Sky At Night
Space For Different Perspectives
When most people think of dyslexia, they think of difficulties in reading and writing. But while this is correct, it isn’t the full picture. In this episode, Maggie Aderin ...
13-10-2026
BBC 4
The Sky At Night
Engineering The Universe
Chris Lintott and the team explore the extraordinary engineering, both on Earth and millions of kilometres above it in space, that is transforming modern astronomy and revealing ...
15-09-2026
BBC 4
The Sky At Night
Big Black Holes And Little Red Dots
Professor Brian Cox joins the team to explore one the greatest current mysteries in astronomy - little red dots. Discovered by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), they have u ...
11-08-2026
BBC 4
The Sky At Night
The Aliens Next Door?
Could alien life exist closer than we think - perhaps right next door? A paper published in 2025 suggested that strange markings discovered on Mars could provide some of the str ...
15-07-2026
BBC 4
The Sky At Night
Space Weather: The Perfect Storm
Life on Earth depends on the sun for its light and its warmth. But the activity of our nearest star also poses a serious threat to all of us. In the most extreme cases, solar st ...
09-06-2026
BBC 4
The Sky At Night
Jodrell Bank: Tuning Into The Universe
It started 80 years ago with a field, army surplus, wartime radar and a visionary idea - and it changed how we see the universe forever. In this episode, we step inside the rema ...
12-05-2026
BBC 4
The Sky At Night
Destination Moon
Maggie Aderin, self-proclaimed lunar-tic, examines Nasa’s Artemis II mission: the first crewed journey towards the moon in more than 50 years. It’s a mission designe ...
14-04-2026
BBC 4
The Sky At Night
Space Mysteries: The Sky At Night Meets Curious Cases
Do aliens exist, and can we talk to them? What does a black hole sound like? Does the universe look like a doughnut? In a spectacular season finale, The Sky at Night teams up wi ...
13-11-2025
BBC 4
The Sky At Night
Brits In Space
Three, two, one, lift off! This edition launches into the extraordinary - and extraterrestrial - world of astronaut training, discovering what it truly takes to become a Europea ...
15-10-2025
BBC 4
Most popular episodes of The Sky at Night
The Sky At Night
Space For Different Perspectives
When most people think of dyslexia, they think of difficulties in reading and writing. But while this is correct, it isn’t the full picture. In this episode, Maggie Aderin ...
13-10-2026
BBC 4
The Sky At Night
Engineering The Universe
Chris Lintott and the team explore the extraordinary engineering, both on Earth and millions of kilometres above it in space, that is transforming modern astronomy and revealing ...
15-09-2026
BBC 4
The Sky At Night
The Aliens Next Door?
Could alien life exist closer than we think - perhaps right next door? A paper published in 2025 suggested that strange markings discovered on Mars could provide some of the str ...
15-07-2026
BBC 4
The Sky At Night
Queen Of Pulsars
Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell is a discoverer and an explorer of the distant cosmos, and she has walked among the stars. She discovered the first pulsar in 1967 - a discovery so imp ...
14-08-2025
BBC 4
The Sky At Night
Webb Telescope: The Story So Far
In July 2022, the James Webb Space Telescope released its first images. They were visually stunning, and it was clear they provided more detail of stars, galaxies and planets th ...
11-07-2024
BBC 4
The Sky At Night
Space Mysteries: The Sky At Night Meets Curious Cases
Do aliens exist, and can we talk to them? What does a black hole sound like? Does the universe look like a doughnut? In a spectacular season finale, The Sky at Night teams up wi ...
13-11-2025
BBC 4
The Sky At Night
Space Rock Return
The Sky at Night is back for a brand new series, and this month it is delving into Nasa’s OSIRIS-REx mission, which last year brought back a sample from the near-Earth ast ...
11-04-2024
BBC 4
The Sky At Night
Big Black Holes And Little Red Dots
Professor Brian Cox joins the team to explore one the greatest current mysteries in astronomy - little red dots. Discovered by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), they have u ...
11-08-2026
BBC 4
The Sky At Night
Ancestral Skies
This month, The Sky at Night teams up with BBC Ideas to discover the secrets of archaeology and astronomy and to reflect on our ancestral skies. \n\nThroughout history and acros ...
14-11-2024
BBC 4
