Wonders of the Solar System [Blu-ray]

I've watched this Blu-ray discs with my 7 year old daughter, and both of us really enjoyed it. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys scientific documentaries.The basic structure of the film is that the professor Brian Cox introduces a certain topic about the solar system (say how Mars has been geographically dead for past oh so many million years), then discuss this by contrasting that with the Earth by traveling to sites to illustrate the topic (say a volcano in Africa). For a person like me, who already has a reasonable knowledge on the subject matter, this is a somewhat roundabout way of approaching the subject. On the other hand, for someone like my daughter, the footage of the Earth really helps her relate to this otherwise abstract and hard-to-imagine stuff that's out there. Also, to be fair, those Earth scenes are quite gorgeous on their own --- after all, this is BBC we are talking about!I also enjoyed Brian Cox as the narrator. You can see that he's genuinely excited about all that he talks about and sees, and that makes you happy. It felt real and sincere, but not over the top. His enthusiasm is contagious. It made my eyes swell up from time to time.Now, I suppose this focus on scenes on the Earth is also a reflection of a real challenge in a film like this, namely that there just aren't that many *actual* pictures of those celestial bodies, let alone videos! And I think this is where the film is a bit weak. Of the precious few actual photographs taken by spacecrafts and rovers on Mars, the film chooses to show most of them by printing them out in papers and have Brian point to them in his fingers. I wish I could have seen them in larger resolutions up close.The other thing that I think the film could have done better is to convey the astronomical (literally!) time and distance that we are talking about. Let's take distance for example --- if you've taken a trans-atlantic or trans-pacific flight, you should have the gut-feeling sense of how unimaginably large the Earth is, yet its diameter is "mere" 8,000 miles. Sun, on the other hand, has a diameter of 800,000 miles. That's a difference between a quarter coin and the height of an adult human being. But yet the distance between Sun and Earth is more like 80,000,000 miles (aka 1AU.) That is, if you imagine the solar system on your desk, Sun & Earth 3 feet apart, then the size of the Earth is only about the thickness of a human hair! And oh, did I tell you that the nearest star is 270,000AU away? That's just bat-s*** insane!!Yet the film, in an attempt to show more in screen, fails to do justice to this ridiculous vastness of the Universe. I'd have really loved to see the Google Earth-ish zoom-in/zoom-out actions that actually portrayed the accurate proportions and distances of the Sun and the planets. Or when they show you a fly-by CG of the great canyon of Mars, I'd have loved to see the Manhattan island posed in to help us grasp the monumental scale of that canyon. In those computer-generated scenes, the timescale is shifted substantially too, which also has the undesirable effect of making things feel smaller (for example, when you see Jupiter zooms in, you see the pattern of the Jupiter changes rapidly, yet if you actually are on a spaceship approaching Jupiter, it'll look completely stationary.) I don't think it's just me who gets endlessly fascinated by the sheer size of these stuff, right? I wish I could have seen those.Anyway, don't let my nerd comments scare you away. I still thoroughly enjoyed this film after all. A highly recommended buy.

I am happy with this series and the Wonders of the Universe too. The videos link the cosmos to us like no other since the Cosmos by Carl Sagan. Brian Cox said that the Cosmos influenced his career choice on his seeing the series as a child. The influence is clear, at least to me, in the two series. Like Cosmos, the Wonders series link the Universe to us in a significant and personal level.If you think that the Universe and the Cosmos are hard sciences, separate and apart from our existence both in the distant past and the present, these videos will change your mind.Cox is 44, but he brings a youthful zeal to these videos that exceeds the passion for science that Carl Sagan demonstrated in his series. This helps to hold my attention and to ponder what makes him so excited that doesn't grab me the same way.The series ponders the visible universe based on physics and goes further by hinting on how the visible universe shaped our religious and philosophical thoughts down the ages. One example of this is his comment on the need by worldwide civilizations to explain birth and death. He concludes by offering his belief on life and death based and linked on the physics of the birth and death of stars.But he cleverly ignores that the scientific belief in the truth of the Laws of Physics as interpreted by the language of mathematics can be fallible. Who knows, maybe 100 or 200 years from now scientist may look back to the 21th century and smile at the misinterpretations of the Laws of Nature by our generation of scientists just like our scientists look back 100 years and smile that the best minds of the early 20th century believed that the Universe was unchanging, with no beginning, and consisted of only the Milky Way. New discoveries and advances in technology and can make the best and brightest minds look silly in hindsight.Already, physicists appear confused to me. Within my lifetime, if a scientist believed in the Big Bang theory he/she was considered a crackpot. Now, if a scientist does not believe in the Big Bang Theory he or she is considered a crackpot. But the crackpots who don't believe in the Big Bang are starting to make noise that cannot be ignored. The theory of Multi-verses, for example, is offered as an alternative to the Big Bang as an explanation for why the Universe is expanding at an accelerated rate. Maybe Hoyle was more right than wrong when he ridiculed the Big Bang theory.The fact that Cox does not go into detail on any of the above theories, I believe will give his series a longer-shelf life than the Universe Series sponsored by the Science Channel. We will have to wait 20 years or so to find out. The Sagan Cosmos series is still being offered. Now in DVD from the original VHS format to show how a well done series can have a very long shelf life indeed.Finally, the DVD and Blue ray contains scenes that were cut by the History Channel since the videos go beyond 55 minutes on average and some beyond an hour--nice to own and see the full versions.

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Allgemein:In dieser Reihe stellt der junge Prof. Brian Cox 'seine' Wunder unseres Sonnensystems vor und illustriert diese jeweils an Beispielen auf der Erde, welches auch hervorragend möglich ist, denn (wie es Prof. Cox an einer Stelle sehr treffend bemerkt) die physikalischen Gesetze sind überall gleich; Außerdem hat dieses einen Einfluss auf die Verständlichkeit dieser englischen Reihe, da man als deutscher die 'Alltagsbeispiele' viel eher versteht als rein wissenschaftliche / physikalische Argumentationen. Man merkt Brian Cox in jeder Sekunde seine Faszination bzgl. des gesamten 'Weltraumes' an und lässt sich von dieser schlichtweg mitreißen (so ging es mir zumindest :) ). Insgesamt ist diese Reihe schlichtweg 'frisch' und auch ein wenig 'anders'; Man bekommt nicht 'nur' Daten und Fakten vorgesetzt, sonder reist mit Brian Cox an die verschiedensten Orte der Erde und betrachtet hier die 'wonders of the solar system'.In sofern wird, so viel sei vorher gesagt, jeder Enttäuscht werden, der eine reine (fakten-)Dokumentation erwartet, denn diese Reihe bietet viel 'drumherum', welches eigentlich nicht mehr direkt zu dem jeweiligen Themenkomplex gehört. Wenn etwa gut 5 Minuten lang gezeigt wird, wie Prof. Brian Cox einen Flug zu der 'thin blue line' (gemeint ist der 'Rand' der Atmosphäre) erlebt, kann dies von dem einen als beeindruckend (seitens der Luftaufnahmen) und frisch, aber von anderen sicher auch als 'uninteressant' und 'langweilig', empfunden werden.Ich für meinen Teil schließe mich hier eindeutig der ersten Gruppe an :) .Aber nun zu den einzelnen Details:Die Technik dieser Blu-Ray's:------------------------------------------------- Bild:Das Bild liegt zT. in 1080i vor, ist dort scharf und beinhaltet relativ wenig rauschen. Einige Aufnahmen entstammen den verschiedensten Archiven und sind daher (wie auch außen auf der Blu-Ray Hülle vermerkt) nicht immer in HD vorhanden. Dies ist aber auch meiner Meinung nach überhaupt nicht schlimm, da es sich hier immerhin um eine Doku-Reihe handelt und nicht um den neuesten Michael-Bay Action Kracher, welcher rein von der Technik lebt.In sofern sollte man 'die Kirche im Dorf lassen' und sich über die tollen HD-Landschaftsaufnahmen (Brian Cox reist wirklich rund um die Welt um anschauliche Beispiele für seine Erklärungen zu finden) und CGI-Animationen freuen.Alles in allem: (knappe) 4/5 Ton:Der 5.1 DTS Ton in dieser Dokumentation ist absolut hervorragend und wurde wunderbar abgemischt ( bezogen auf die Hintergrund-Musik ' sonst gibt es ja auch nicht viel, außer die Stimme von Prof. Brian Cox, welche natürlich hauptsächlich aus dem Center kommt :) - )Damit gilt für den Ton: 4/5Nun zum Inhalt:------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------>>Empire of the sun:<<----------------------Den Einstieg in diese Reihe macht eine Folge über die Sonne und dessen Entstehung. Hier zeigt sich bereits der lockere Erzählstil von Brian Cox und dessen grandiose Fähigkeit, komplexe Sachverhalte an einfachen Beispiel darzulegen.Auch der Mars-Roboter 'Spirit' findet seinen Auftritt als Kameramann, wenn er die Aufnahmen eines Sonnenunterganges auf dem Mars darbieten darf; Wem es da nicht warm um sein Herz wird, dem ist sowieso nicht mehr zu helfen :P.Also, alles in allem: 4/5>>Order out of chaos:<<-----------------------In dieser Folge wird auf die Entstehung der Ringe des Saturn näher eingegangen und es werden ein paar brillante 'wonders of the solar system' enthüllt. Auch hier zeigt Prof. Cox komplexe Sachverhalte an einfachen Beispielen auf der Erde und macht diese so auch wunderbar für einen 'Laien' verständlich.Wer einmal den Zusammenhang zwischen den Saturn-monden und dessen Ringen gesehen hat, wie er in dieser Folge dargelegt wird, der wird mir wohl zustimmen, dass unser Sonnensystem über ''Wunder'' verfügt, die sich nicht vor 'Star Trek' und co. verstecken müssen.Absolut Unglaublich!Fazit: 5/5>>The thin blue line:<<-----------------------Dieser Teil der Reihe beschäftigt sich mit der Atmosphäre von sowohl unserem Planeten, als auch den anderen in unserem Sonnensystem. Dabei wird besonderer Wert auf einen ganz außergewöhnlichen kleinen Mond gelegt :) .Wieder eine gelungene Mischung aus Naturaufnahmen unserer Erde und einfachen, intuitiven Erklärungen für kosmische Vorgänge.Ich fasse mich kurz: 5/5>>Dead or alive:<<------------------Hier wird der Frage nachgegangen, welche Faktoren nötig sind um einen Planeten leben oder eben sterben zu lassen. Insgesamt wieder wundervolle Aufnahmen und ein spannendes Thema gut aufbereitet, aber mir fehlte insgesamt irgendwie der 'wow-Effekt', wie ich ihn zum Beispiel bei 'order out of chaos' erfahren habe.Trotzdem vollkommen empfehlenswert mit: 4 / 5>>Aliens:<<-----------Was macht das Leben aus ? Aus welchen Stücken besteht die Gleichung die über Leben und nicht Leben bestimmt ? Diese Fragen bestimmen den Verlauf dieser letzten Folge der Reihe, und bringen interessante Einblicke in die Entstehung von Leben mit.Ich fand es stellenweise einfach nur atemberaubend unter welchen Bedingungen lebendige Organismen existieren können; Für mich ein Highlight der Reihe!Absolut verdient: 5/5------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Damit insgesamt:Technik: 4/5Inhalt: 4,5/5

I have not seen the TV series; but I just spent the last fortnight watching the entire five parts to 'Wonders of the Solar System' on DVD.Professor Brian Cox is clearly a good communicator and his enthusiasm for the subject is plain to see; he was an excellent choice as presenter. Although I consider myself reasonably well read in some areas of earth science as well as astronomy, nevertheless, I found the material presented here to be fresh and original. I particularly enjoyed the way in which the producers placed Cox in various locations on earth which show similarities to some of our neighbours out there in the solar system.I had to smile when I saw Cox visiting certain locations also frequented by the geologist, Professor Iain Stewart in his series 'How the Earth Made Us' (well worth obtaining if you are interested in Earth Sciences). The volcano in Ethiopia, the asteroid crater in Arizona and a few others were among the repeat visits. However, whilst each professor was in the same location, it was interesting to see how they were able to extract their own unique and relevant messages from what was shown on camera - without conflicting with the other.If one was to identify a weak area in the documentary it was when Cox moves to reflect upon the nature of life and its evolution. Clearly, this is not his field, but the introduction of a couple of specialists in this area might have added to the fascinating area of exploration and discovery. I felt that in places his expert knowledge of astrophysics was let down by slightly over simplistic or cursory summaries in the nature of life area.Like a number of documentary-educational programmes, one has to be willing to listen and watch mainly the one presenter in this programme series. The alternative is to simply string together a number of talking heads with a spoken commentary (off-camera) or allow the presenter to meet with specialists along the way. Personally, I think this latter approach (in moderation) might have strenghtened the series. However, setting aside such alternatives, fortunately, Cox is one of those presenters whose style and enthusiasm, plus his knowledge allow one to enjoy his travels as if walking alongside. Hence my opening comment about Cox being a good choice. Not everyone could do this. I would be most surprised if he does not attract extremely high ratings from his students at Manchester University, since he really is very good at taking a scientific phenomenon and illustrating it in a simple and clearly understandable manner. For example, I particularly liked his illustration of how to work out the sun's energy hitting the earth's surface, armed with no more than a thermometer, umbrella and glass jug; which when he had completed his demonstration and a few basic calculations was followed by him looking to camera and saying with a grin on his face that that is why he love physics. It was a wonderful illustration of how the human mind can take some everyday items and work out astronomical measures, quite literally. I think it was the combination of these simple explanations, the location shots and stunning computer graphics woven into the narrative presented in a well-informed but casual style by Cox that made this an exceptional programme series from the BBC.I shall look forward to watching the series again in the not too distant future, when I shall be armed with my note pad, since there is a great deal of interesting and educational material in this programme. I also think it is capable of having an appeal to most age groups, where the viewer is genuinely interested in the subject.I am glad to have added this series to my 'science collection' and would recommend the DVD to anyone who looks at the solar system with awe and wonder.

Wonders totally blew me away when it was on the telly, I've always has an interest in everything astronomical and this explains in easy terms what's going on out there and how everything is connected in fascinating ways. Loved watching this and I would highly recommend this bluray for a greater understanding of our close planetary neighbours and moons to anyone with even a slight interest.1. "Empire of the Sun"The first episode illustrates how the formation and behaviour of the Sun affects each planet in the Solar System. During this episode, Cox visits India to view and explain the workings of a total solar eclipse. The Aurora Borealis is also seen in Norway and an explanation of the power of the Sun occurs in Death Valley, California, USA.2. "Order Out of Chaos"Cox starts this episode in Al-Qayrawan, Tunisia to analyse the orbit of the planets around our Sun, with details on how the tilt of the Earth creates the seasons. He also visits the Atlas Mountains and provides an explanation of the how we see the orbit of Mars. This episode also provides an insight on the rings of Saturn and the geysers of Enceladus, including images shown as seen from the Cassini-Huygens space probe.3. "The Thin Blue Line"The third episode looks at the atmosphere of the planets and moons of the Solar System, with Earth, Mars, and Titan being the main focus. The episode starts with Cox taking a journey in an English Electric Lightning piloted by "Mike Beachy Head" up to an altitude "between 55 and 60 thousand feet" where the "thinness and fragility" of the atmosphere could be observed in the middle of the day transitioning "from light blue to dark blue to black". Later, the Namib Desert is seen and used to give an explanation on how the Earth keeps its temperature, along with comparisons made to Mars. An in-depth look at Titan is seen with footage shown from the Huygens probe descent down to the surface of the moon.4. "Dead or Alive"The fourth episode begins at the Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA, and immediate comparisons are drawn to Mars and the Valles Marineris. A trip to Kîlauea on Hawaii shows the geological activity of Earth, and again a comparison to Mars and Olympus Mons is seen. An analysis of Jupiter's gravitational effect is given with how it could potentially send an asteroid on a collision course with Earth. The same gravitational force is also shown to give the Jovian moon Io geological life.5. "Aliens"The final instalment covers life surviving in extreme environments, and how the search for life on other worlds follows the search for water, focusing on Mars, and on Jupiter's moon Europa. Cox begins by travelling to the deep ocean to draw comparisons between space travel. The Atacama Desert in South America is also viewed, which is seen to explain the lack of life found there. A trip to the Scablands in North-West America is also made with an explanation of the Missoula Floods that once occurred there, and how it shaped the landscape geologically. More examinations of life come with a trip to Mexico and how life survives in caves.All in all a mesmerising journey presently beautifully in bluray format with stunning 5.1 truehd audio.Great value for money, go for it.Billion,Billion,Billion,Billion,Billion,Billion,Billion,Billion,Billion,Billion,Billion lol ;D

After watching Dr. Iain Stewart's 'Earth: The Power Of The Planet' and reading the great book to go with it, I didn't think a Geological/Astronomical BBC series could get much better or more interesting. I was wrong. The Wonders Of The Solar System is a magnificent series which had me facinated from the get go, to the very last sentence.When the series was on TV I only caught the first episode 'Empire Of The Sun' but this was enough to know I wanted more. The day the Blu-ray came through the door I sat down to watch the first episode and ended up watching all 5 episodes in one sitting. Dr Brian Cox does a superb job at drawing you in and immersing you with his obvious enthusiasm and love for the subject at hand.I've been striving for an astonomical series like this. One that doesn't focus on the same old features of the solar system that we learnt at school but gets out and looks at the more interesting, lesser known features. This mainly consists of the amazingly diverse number of moons we have in our solar system. Including the Ice Plumes/Geysers of Enceladus, the ravaged volcainc surafce of the tortured moon Io, Titan with its lakes of methane which works the same way as water on our planet, the moon Europa which has a liquid water ocean below its icy crust which has more chance of harboring life than anywhere else in the solar system, how the amazing ice rings of Saturn were formed, to name a few of the facinating subjects that are present in this series.If you are interested in astromony or even geology this is a truely amazing series, do not hesitate to buy it. It seems that a book will be coming out eventually to acompany it and if 'The Power Of The Planet' book is anything to go by we will have a great accompaniment which will delve deeper into the into the facinating subject discussed in the series.One of the best TV series I have ever watched. 10/10