16 June 2020
Prepare to be amazed! A special live programme which gives us a unique look into the wonders of the dark night skies above Wales is coming to S4C this weekend.
Broadcast live on Friday, 19 June from 9.30pm, Gwylio'r Sêr yn Fyw (Watching the Stars Live) takes us on an awe-inspiring journey through the mysterious world above us.
Thanks to its wealth of remote rural and coastal locations, Wales is home to more dark sky reserves than any other country in the world offering unrivalled views of the stars, planets and constellations in the universe above us.
Gwylio'r Sêr yn Fyw will be presented by BBC Radio 1 reporter Steffan Powell and physicist Dr Peri Vaughan Jones, who will be joined by a team of experts to offer some top tips and guidance on what can be seen in our skies and how best to see them.
Peri said that Gwylio'r Sêr yn Fyw is a show for all the family and is aimed at getting those who aren't that familiar with astronomy excited by the stars, planets and other wonders of the world above us.
"That is the whole purpose of the show," said Peri. "To demonstrate that anybody can just go out into their garden and look up at the night sky to see the wonders above us. Prepare to be amazed."
"There are stars, planets and all sorts of objects in the sky all the time and many are especially visible in Wales. And with relatively little equipment, it is possible to see some amazing things in the night sky."
The experts joining Peri and Steffan on the night include Dr Gwenllian Williams, who specialises in research into the creation of stars; Dr Rhys Morris, who has been studying the death of stars; 1960s space race enthusiast Gareth Jones (formerly Gaz Top) and Welsh Dark Skies guide, Dafydd Wyn Morgan aka Twm Sion Cati.
We will also hear from Dr Dafydd Williams, the Canadian astronaut with Welsh heritage, who flew on the Space Shuttle in the late 1990s and took with him a Mistar Urdd toy and the Welsh flag. He was also the first person to speak Welsh in space!
By using the latest technology and telescopic cameras, Steffan, Peri and the experts will take us on a journey through the night sky, starting with our sun and moon and then onwards to various stars, planets and constellations which can be seen at this time of year.
Peri, originally from Llandwrog in north Wales, has been fascinated by science from a young age. She studied Physics at Cardiff University and now works as a patent attorney, helping people protect and develop their inventions.
"I was lucky to have grown up in a place with a night sky full of stars, planets and exciting objects. My father has always been interested in astronomy and he passed this interest on to me. I remember some cold dark nights after school when dad showed me some of the wonders of the universe," said Perry.
"In 1999 my mum, dad and I went to Devon to see the total solar eclipse, but unfortunately it was cloudy so we couldn't see the phenomenon. But then in August 2017, my brother, father and I went to America to see the 'Great American Eclipse'. After months of planning, everything came together perfectly, and we saw the sun being hidden by the moon for more than two minutes – it was very special."
Do you have any special stories relating to the dark skies above Wales? If so Gwylio'r Sêr Yn Fyw producers Avanti would like to hear from you. Perhaps you have had an unforgettable experience watching the stars at night or do you have an emotional story related to the night sky? Maybe you have some secret plans for a surprise under the stars? We want to hear them.
Share your stories by sending an e-mail to gwyliorserynfyw@avantimedia.tv including your phone number, where you're from and a brief explanation of your story.
For further information, please visit … s4c.cymru/gwyliorserynfyw or go to twitter.com/avantitv, instagram.com/avantimedia/ or facebook.com/AvantiMediaLTD/
This programme will be carried out under current Government guidelines.
Gwylio'r Sêr yn Fyw Friday 19 June 9.30, S4C English subtitles available On demand: S4C Clic, iPlayer and other platforms An Avanti production for S4C
