Documentary Description
The show starts off with some basic astronomy lessons, as scientists
and researchers discuss just how big the universe is and how big our
own Milky Way galaxy is by using some simple comparisons of size that
our minds can somewhat get a grasp on. For example, if our Sun was the
dot of an “i” in a book, the Milky Way would be the size of the
continental United States. Scientists discuss the different types of
galaxies, as well as other celestial bodies such as quasars.
The show then goes on to explore the age of galaxies and the
universe, with a focus on The Big Bang. This segment gets a little
“heady” as you have to understand light speed and the notion that the
light from the stars we see in the sky is like looking back in time —
what we see in the sky is the light that left a star millions of light
years ago and is finally reaching Earth. Using this theory, the
scientists discuss how more powerful telescopes, like The Hubble for
instance, are able to see further and further “back in time” to the
infancy of the universe.
Alien Galaxies finishes up with an overall
view of the most mystifying and popular item in both science fact and
science fiction — the black hole, a mass so dense that nothing can
escape its gravitational pull. Scientists have recently discovered that
within the center of our Milky Way is a mega black hole, and that is
where most of the focus lies in this segment.
Throughout the episode are some magnificent and beautiful images of
stars and galaxies taken by The Hubble Telescope and others from around
the globe. Computer simulations are also included to give a more
close-up view of stars and the black hole, a feat that would otherwise
be impossible.
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