BBC SUSSEX AND SURREY RADIO

As we rush headlong into 2016, so I again found myself at the BBC Sussex and Surrey Radio studios in Brighton for my regular monthly show.

Ordinarily, I would spend an entertaining half hour with radio presenter, Allison Ferns, on her Afternoon Show but this month, due to Allison’s illness, I instead joined radio presenter, Joe Talbot, which made for a totally fun-packed, full-on interview!

We began by discussing the recent discovery of the so-called ‘ninth planet’, or ‘Planet X’, in our solar system which, of course, led on to discussing how such a planet could form and, indeed, how all the planets formed in our local neighbourhood and why there is such variety.

From there we moved on to discussing what can currently be seen in the night sky: a fabulous array of all five naked eye planets – Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Mars and Jupiter, all arcing across the morning vista from east to south west, a sight not seen in over eleven years. Wonderful!

We were deluged by emails and texts from listeners asking all sorts of questions which led to lively discussion about why planets are round, how they are made and what makes them spin. We finished up with a fun conversation about the International Space Station and, of course, UK astronaut, Tim Peake’s adventures on that amazing outpost orbiting high above planet Earth.

A truly fun half-hour, made more so by Joe’s enthusiasm and knowledge. Here’s to the next show in February!