  This program provides an introduction to the wonders of the universe and explains current theories about its nature, its origin and the life cycles of the stars and planets within its galaxies. In an interview, 1978 Nobel Prize winners Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson discuss some of the implications of the Big Bang theory of the origin of the universe. The program examines methods used to study stars within our galaxy, including the light telescope and the parallax method of determining star distances. It explores the explosions-novas and supernovas-that mark the life of certain stars and the mysterious pulsars occasionally left after these explosions. The program concludes with an account of our solar system from its origin to its inevitable end, just as scientists believe it will occur several billion years from now. (42 min) |