The Sky at Night takes on a spooky twist this month. The episode, titled “Cosmic Ghosts,” airs on Monday 10 June, explores the hidden objects in our universe that astronomers and scientists believe exist, despite being invisible to the naked eye.
Prof Chris Lintott and Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock visit Provan Hall in Glasgow, a site known for its ghost sightings over the centuries. However, they’re not searching for supernatural phenomena; instead, they meet scientists and astronomers who are unraveling the universe’s mysteries by finding new ways to sense the unseen.
Dr Olivia Jones from the UK Astronomy Centre introduces Chris to a tool commonly used by ghost hunters, which also happens to be perfect for detecting objects hidden in cosmic dust. Prof Tessa Baker from the University of Portsmouth demonstrates how ripples in space-time help identify new cosmic events. Meanwhile, Maggie, while scanning for spooky sounds, uncovers the groundbreaking work of Vera Rubin, a pioneering astronomer who contributed to our understanding of dark matter.
The episode also features guest presenter Prof Chamkaur Ghag, who visits the Boulby Underground Laboratory, a remarkable research facility located over a kilometer below the Earth’s surface. Here, he discovers how the site has evolved since Patrick Moore and the Sky at Night team’s visit two decades ago, and he joins the Boulby team in their quest to detect elusive dark matter particles.
Pete Lawrence, at the Bedford School Observatory, guides us through the process of finding and photographing dark nebulae, those ghostly, inky objects in the sky. He also provides insights into what skywatchers can expect to see in the coming month.
The Sky at Night: Cosmic Ghosts airs on BBC Four, on Monday, 10 June, 2024, at 10:00 pm.
