DeepSkyVideos

DeepSkyVideos is an astronomy channel made by the filmmaker Brady Haran, who also makes Numberphile and Computerphile. It started in 2012 as a collaboration with astronomers from the University of Nottingham.

The channel set out to make a video about every object in the Messier catalogue, a list of 110 galaxies, nebulae and star clusters. It is now working through the Caldwell catalogue. Other videos visit world-class telescopes and explain how they work. The style is relaxed, with astronomers explaining in their own words.

Some highlights include:

A look at the Extremely Large Telescope, a giant optical telescope being built in Chile.

A video about ALMA, an array of radio dishes that work together as one telescope.

An explanation of how astronomers study ten thousand galaxies in a single image.

The channel has around 251,000 subscribers.

Telescopes are huge feats of engineering, combining optics, precision mechanics, electronics and data processing. DeepSkyVideos shows the science these machines make possible. It suits students thinking about physics, astronomy or engineering roles in the space and science sectors. The short format makes each video easy to watch in one sitting, and the astronomers often explain how an observation was made, not just what it shows. That link between instruments and discovery is where much of the engineering in astronomy happens. Brady Haran makes several other channels with Nottingham academics, so viewers who enjoy this one have plenty more to explore.