Episode image for Do We Really Need the Moon?

Duration: 1 hour

The Moon is such a familiar presence in the sky that most of us take it for granted. But what if it wasn't where it is now? How would that affect life on Earth?

Space scientist and lunar fanatic Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock explores our intimate relationship with the Moon. Besides orchestrating the tides, the moon dictates the length of a day, the rhythm of the seasons and the very stability of our planet.

Yet the Moon is always on the move. In the past it was closer to Earth and in the future it'll be farther away. That it is now perfectly placed to sustain life is pure luck, a cosmic coincidence. Using computer graphics to summon up great tides and set the Earth spinning on its side, Maggie Aderin-Pocock implores us to look at the Moon afresh: to see it not as an inert rock, but as a key player in the story of our planet, past, present and future.

Last on

Tue 8 Feb 2011 23:30 BBC HD

  • Photo: What if the Moon was closer?

    Photo: What if the Moon was closer?

    This manipulated image gives an idea of what the moon would look like over London if it was 20 times closer to Earth than it is now.

  • Photo: Maggie at NASA

    Photo: Maggie at NASA

    Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock visits the NASA Space Centre, Houston - the home of the Apollo missions to the moon.

Credits

Participant
Maggie Aderin-Pocock
Director
Tim Lambert
Executive Producer
Helen Thomas

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See all broadcasts of Do We Really Need the Moon? (5)

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