THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF ASTRONOMY WILL BE CELEBRATED ON BBC ALBA WITH SPECIAL DOCUMENTARY
Trusadh: A’ Ghealach – THE MOON ON BBC ALBA
Monday 20 July, 9pm, BBC ALBA
On 20th July 1969 Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin secured their place in history by becoming the first human beings to set foot on another planet.
To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing as well as the 400th anniversary since Galileo drew his famous moon maps proving that the moon was not in fact smooth and perfect as originally believed, this year has been declared the International Year of Astronomy.
Command module pilot of Apollo 11, Michael Collins
A special Trusadh documentary produced by Mactv for BBC ALBA will examine the close relationship between the moon and earth and those whose lives are affected by it. Apart from affecting tides the moon is a constant source of inspiration for poetry and music and inhabits a special place in the lives of many. Evidence is also growing to support theories connecting the moon with stone circles such as Callanish on the Isle of Lewis.
Along with command module pilot Michael Collins, the crew of Apollo 11 achieved the ambitious goal set by President Kennedy to safely complete a moon landing by the end of the 1960s.
Seen by many as the most significant human achievement of the 20th century, the first Apollo moon landing marked the beginning of a new chapter in exploration and changed the way we look at our nearest planet.
After more than 30 years since man last set foot on its surface there is a renewed interest in returning to the moon. The objective, in what has been dubbed the second space race, is to build a man-base on the moon, which would enable the exploration of other planets.
This documentary celebrates the moon and the achievements of scientists like Galileo and the Apollo space program, which have strengthened our relationship with the moon and increased our understanding of its enduring effect on earth.
Trusadh: A’ Ghealach will be broadcast on BBC ALBA on Monday 20 July at 9pm and is available on Sky channel 168 & Freesat channel 110.