Secrets of the Sun with Dara Ó Briain

Secrets of the Sun with Dara Ó Briain (2024- )

RunningDocumentary show

Dara Ó Briain embarks on a journey of discovery, exploring our relationship with the Sun.

Network
Scheduleevery Tuesday, Wednesday at 21:00 (60 min)

Last Episode

Episode 2
Season 1Episode 260 min

Episode 2

While the Sun is critical to life, looks can also be deceiving. In this episode Dara is going to explore how our solar system's star has a darker side.

Dara's journey takes him to Space City, Houston. Here he meets ex-NASA astronaut Colonel Terry Virts a former commander on board the Space Shuttle. Terry got skin cancer because of the Sun and explains that monitoring the Sun's energy is extremely important to astronauts.

In Houston, Dara is invited to the central hub of NASA, the Johnson Space Centre to meet the scientists behind the Space Radiation Analysis Group. This is where NASA monitors solar flares, ejections from the Sun that can head towards the earth. They also discuss the so-called ‘Bermuda Triangle of Space' – the South Atlantic Anomaly – an area in space the Sun makes so dangerous that satellites and even the International Space Station need to power down when travelling through it.

Monitoring the Sun is critical, and Dara next explains that there are numerous missions from many countries across the world sending spacecraft to study the Sun at close quarters.

Dara's journey ends in the South of France, where he witnesses the Sun's extraordinary power first hand, at the world's largest solar furnace. Here, solar power is concentrated in huge amounts in order to generate power, and astrophysicist Dr Orlagh Creevey reveals how there's so much power generated it can vapourise rock.

Orlagh reveals this is actually much like how the story of our Sun will end. Our star will turn into a ‘Red Giant' and completely engulf the Earth. There is absolutely nothing we can do about this – it is the natural life cycle of a star. The Sun – the giver of life – will one day destroy us.

 

Jul 17, 2024

Recent Episodes

EpisodeNameAirdate
S01E02Episode 2Jul 17, 2024
S01E01Episode 1Jul 16, 2024
View all episodesView all seasons

Cast

View all cast

Characters

View all characters

Also known as

  • Wonders of the Sun with Dara O'Briain

Recently Updated Shows

Recently updated shows that might be of your interest.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Running

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert brings his signature satire and comedy to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the #1 show in late-night. Featuring bandleader Jon Batiste with his band Stay Human, the Emmy Award-nominated show broadcasts from the historic Ed Sullivan Theater. He talks with an eclectic mix of guests about what is new and relevant in the worlds of politics, entertainment, business, music, technology, and more. Stephen Colbert took over as host, executive producer, and writer of The Late Show on Sept. 8, 2015. 

Colbert is best known for his work as a television host, writer, actor, and producer, and lest known for his charity work teaching English as a second language on Tunisian date farms. Before joining the CBS family -- and being officially adopted by network president Les Moonves -- Colbert helmed The Colbert Report, which aired nearly 1,500 episodes and required Stephen to wear nearly 1,500 different neckties. The program received two Peabody Awards, two Grammy Awards, and several unwelcome shoulder massages. It won two Emmys for Outstanding Variety Series in 2013 and 2014, both of which appear to have been lost in the move. Colbert is pronounced koʊlˈbɛər, according to Wikipedia. His understudy is William Cavanaugh, who will be hosting The Late Show approximately one-third of the time. Good luck, Bill!

GenreComedy
Ludwig
Running

Ludwig

When John ‘Ludwig' Taylor's identical twin, DCI James Taylor, disappears off the face of the earth, John takes over his brother's identity in a quest to discover his whereabouts. John has never married; never had a family and never really ventured further than his own front door. Without a computer, mobile phone or even a television, he lives in quiet solitude, designing puzzles for a living, under the nom-de-plume of ‘Ludwig'.

This genre bending detective series follows full-time luddite, John 'Ludwig' Taylor, as he assumes the identity of his missing twin brother in a bid to track him down and bring him home. However, filling the shoes of your identical twin is one thing - when your twin also happens to be a successful DCI leading Cambridge's busy inner-city major crimes team the stakes are much higher. John may be a master of all things cryptic, but can he crack the biggest puzzle of his life?

Bachelor in Paradise
Running

Bachelor in Paradise

Some of The Bachelor's biggest stars and villains are back. They all left The Bachelor or The Bachelorette with broken hearts, but now they know what it really takes to find love, and on Bachelor in Paradise they'll get a second chance to find their soul mates. Contestants will live together in an isolated romantic paradise in Mexico and explore new romantic relationships.

GenreRomance
Butterfly
Upcoming

Butterfly

Butterfly revolves around David Jung, an enigmatic, highly unpredictable former US intelligence operative living in South Korea, whose life is blown to pieces when the consequences of an impossible decision from his past come back to haunt him, and he finds himself pursued by Rebecca, a deadly, sociopathic young agent assigned to kill him.

Harry Potter
Upcoming

Harry Potter

A child who inexplicably survives the killing curse teams up to fight the dark wizard who murdered his parents.