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Great Heroes and Discoveries of Astronomy

Where to Watch Great Heroes and Discoveries of Astronomy

24.
Tomorrow's Heroes of Astronomy
2021-02-26
Tomorrow's heroes of astronomy are hard at work today pursuing new discoveries, testing new theories, and making groundbreaking technological advances. Topics in this final episode include the Giant Magellan Telescope, the Vera C.

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23.
The Seekers of Extraterrestrial Life
2021-02-26
Explore how we study the environments of distant planets and what-or who-may be living on them. Among the many bright minds you'll meet are Vikki Meadows, whose team specializes in habitability and biosignatures, and Frank Drake, whose famous equation puts a number on the civilizations in our galaxy we could potentially detect.

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22.
The Heroic Hunt for Extrasolar Planets
2021-02-26
Astronomers today continue the search for exoplanets orbiting around other stars. In this episode, meet astronomers Alex Wolszczan and Dale Frail, who in the 1990s discovered not only the first extrasolar planets, but also the first multi-planet system and the first evidence of planets forming around pulsars.

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21.
Solar Astronomers Reveal the Universe
2021-02-26
Drawing on a great deal of heroic research, take a long (and safe) look at our own Sun. How have particle physics and asteroseismology helped us to understand the Sun's inner workings and deepest layers?

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20.
Discovering Pluto and the Kuiper Belt
2021-02-26
Explore Pluto's brief decades of fame. Start with Percival Lowell and Clyde Tombaugh's search for another planet lurking beyond Neptune, continue with Gerard Kuiper's pioneering work on airborne observatories that revealed our first glimpse of Pluto's atmosphere, and conclude with the planet's demotion to a dwarf planet that was part of the ring of rock-and-ice objects known as the Kuiper belt.

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19.
The Shoemakers Reveal Asteroids and Comets
2021-02-26
Take a census of our solar system's smallest members, including asteroids and comets, and their relationship with geological history. We have Gene and Carolyn Shoemaker to thank for the dawn of planetary geology, which helped astronomers better understand the origins of the Moon and project the paths of near-Earth objects.

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18.
Carl Sagan: The Great Space Communicator
2021-02-26
Explore the vital importance of communicating astronomical discoveries to the rest of the world. First, witness the rise of planetariums that can simulate a night sky for the public.

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17.
Heroic Surveys of the Entire Night Sky
2021-02-26
How do astronomers study and track changes in the night sky? Track the development of astronomical surveys, from the work of William and Caroline Herschel in the 1780s to build a systematic catalogue of the northern night sky to Jim Gunn's work in the late 20th century to develop the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.

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16.
The Heroic Detection of Gravitational Waves
2021-02-26
Dig into what gravitational waves are, as well as the enormous observatories and groups of scientists that accomplished the mind-blowing task of detecting them. Focus on the work of teams led by Rai Weiss, Kip Thorne, and Barry Barish, whose Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detected the tiny chirps of minuscule density waves in spacetime.

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15.
Astronomers Put Einstein to the Test
2021-02-26
There is perhaps no more famous theory in the field of physics than Albert Einstein's special theory of relativity. After unpacking the details of the infamous equation that revolutionized science, discover how Arthur Eddington catapulted Einstein and his newly proven theories about the relationship between space, time, and gravity worldwide.

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14.
Finding Neutron Stars and Black Holes
2021-02-26
Discover the contributions of Jocelyn Bell and other astronomers in the search for neutron stars and black holes. How do astronomers observe these strange objects-and what, exactly, are they?

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13.
Pioneers of X-ray and Ultraviolet Astronomy
2021-02-26
X-ray and ultraviolet light are invaluable pieces in the puzzle of observational astronomy that have opened our eyes to everything from the solar corona to Earth's magnetic field. Here, take a closer look at the importance of ultraviolet and X-ray astronomy, and the invaluable efforts of scientific heroes like George Carruthers and Riccardo Giacconi.

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12.
The Discoverers of Exploding Stars
2021-02-26
Supernovae are some of the most luminous events in our universe. Learn why Oscar Duhalde deserves a unique place among astronomical heroes, then examine how astronomers study and classify supernovae and eventually discovered SN 1987A: one of the most infamous and well-studied supernovae of all time.

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11.
How Astronomers Have Shaped Our World
2021-02-26
Take a look at how astronomers from all backgrounds-from theoretical physicist and humanitarian Albert Einstein to astronomer and gay rights advocate Frank Kameny-have taken on the challenge of shaping the world we live in, as well as the continued efforts in the profession to fight for continued and improved equity.

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10.
Finding the Beginning and End of the Cosmos
2021-02-26
In this episode, cover two of the most fundamental-and intertwined-questions astronomers around the world continually ask themselves: How did the universe begin? How will it end?

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9.
Vera Rubin and the Discovery of Dark Matter
2021-02-26
Today's physicists and astronomers debate the idea of dark matter: what it's made of, how it works, and what it means for the makeup of our universe. Go back to the beginning and learn about the invaluable contributions of Vera Rubin and Kent Ford, who found the first observational evidence of dark matter.

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8.
Discovering the Cosmic Microwave Background
2021-02-26
What began as a faint hiss soon became one of the most crucial signals being studied in astronomy today. In this episode on the cosmic microwave background (CMB), discover how detector designs, satellite observations, and other heroic efforts have shaped our understanding of the entire universe, from its age to the way it behaves today.

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7.
Pioneers of Radio Astronomy
2021-02-26
Today, radio astronomy is an immense field that has given rise to some of the most exciting scientific discoveries of the last century. Explore the work of Karl Jansky, who first detected radio waves in the early 1930s, and Grote Roeber, who built the first dedicated radio telescope and kicked off a surge of interest in radio astronomy.

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6.
Heroes of the Hubble Space Telescope
2021-02-26
Here, focus on the story of Edwin Hubble's most famous namesake: the Hubble Space Telescope. Among the heroes who helped make this vision a reality were the astrophysicist Lyman Spitzer; Nancy Roman, NASA's first chief of astronomy; and a team of astronomers and telescope builders who helped repair a critical problem post-launch.

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5.
Edwin Hubble and the Expanding Universe
2021-02-26
In this episode, unpack the mysteries of Hubble's law. First, take a closer look at each part of this deceptively simple equation.

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4.
The Heroic Discovery of Other Galaxies
2021-02-26
How did Henrietta Swan Leavitt, the prolific discoverer of variable stars, make sense of "Cepheid variables"? How did she calculate the relationship between their periods and their true luminosities?

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3.
Harvard Heroines Show Us the Stars
2021-02-26
With so many stars, could we possibly study them all? Enter three women: Williamina Fleming, who developed a method for classifying stars based on their spectra; Annie Jump Cannon, who rearranged the classification system's order using multiple elements; and Cecilia Payne, who established the first temperature scale for stars based on their classifications and spectral appearances.

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2.
Designing and Building the Modern Telescope
2021-02-26
Meet George Ellery Hale, the father of the modern telescope. After learning the engineering science behind telescopes, follow the story of how Hale raised funds for a massive 200-inch telescope that went on to hold the world record for largest telescope for nearly 30 years-and sparked our continued plans to build more ELTs, or Extremely Large Telescopes.

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1.
What Astronomy's Heroes Can Teach Us
2021-02-26
Begin with an overview of the series, which revolves around the landmark accomplishments of Edwin Hubble, Albert Einstein, and Carl Sagan. Preview some of the fascinating astronomical discoveries tied to their legacies-and the many other great heroes of astronomy who helped make these scientific strides possible.

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Great Heroes and Discoveries of Astronomy is a series categorized as a new series. Spanning 1 seasons with a total of 24 episodes, the show debuted on 2021. The series has earned a no reviews from both critics and viewers. The IMDb score stands at undefined.

How to Watch Great Heroes and Discoveries of Astronomy

How can I watch Great Heroes and Discoveries of Astronomy online? Great Heroes and Discoveries of Astronomy is available on The Great Courses Signature Collection with seasons and full episodes. You can also watch Great Heroes and Discoveries of Astronomy on demand at Amazon Prime, Amazon online.

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The Great Courses Signature Collection