Professor Brian Cox's new series "Solar System" explains why we're in a "Golden Age of Discovery", so kick back and relax as his mellifluous voice guides us through the very latest images captured in space and the most up-to-date theories that explain what we might be looking at.
Here's how to watch "Solar System" from anywhere with a VPN — and potentially for FREE!
"Solar System" premieres on Monday, October 7 on BBC2 at 9.p.m. BST (4 p.m. ET/ 1 p.m. PT). All episodes streaming now on BBC iPlayer.
• WATCH FREE — BBC iPlayer (U.K.)
• U.S. — PBS
• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN 100% risk free
The show is divided into five parts dealing with Volcano Worlds, Dark Worlds, Storm Worlds, Ice Worlds and, most intriguingly, Strange Worlds where we will go beyond the reach of even the most powerful telescopes to visit the least explored regions of space.
On the journey we will encounter dust devils, metallic frost and monsoon rains on planets and moons almost a billion miles from Earth and, in the final episode, an egg-shaped dwarf planet, a tiny moon that looks like a UFO and a spectacular ocean world in orbit around Jupiter.
Grab your telescope as we reveal how to watch "Solar System" online and from anywhere.
'Solar System' for FREE in the U.K.
How to watch 'Solar System' from abroad
Thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network), "Solar System" should be available to Brits no matter where they are. The software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you find yourself. Our favorite is NordVPN.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're away from the U.K. and want to view a U.K. service, you'd select U.K. from the list.
3. Sit back and watch the show. Head to BBC iPlayer to watch "Solar System" 2024 online.
How to watch 'Solar System' online in the U.S. and without cable
"Solar System" premiered on Wednesday, October 2 at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT on PBS in the U.S. and screens Wednesdays every week at the same time.
If you are a Brit in the States for work or on vacation you can catch the show on your domestic streaming platform for free by using a VPN such as NordVPN, choosing U.K. from the list and selecting BBC iPlayer.
How to watch 'Solar System' in the U.K.
If you live in the U.K. then you can catch "Solar System" on Monday, October 7 on BBC2 at 9.p.m BST. All five episode streaming now for free on BBC iPlayer. You'll need a valid TV licence, naturally.
If you're not in the U.K., you can still catch the show by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN.
Can I watch 'Solar System' in the Canada?
Prof. Brian Cox's "Solar System" will be available to stream on BBC Earth Canada in the very near future. Date TBA.
However, if you are a Brit in the Great White North for work or on vacation and just cannot wait you can catch the show via your usual domestic streaming platform by using a VPN such as NordVPN.
Can I watch 'Solar System' in Australia?
There's no news on when "Solar System" will become available to watch in Australia.
If you are a Brit working or on vacation Down Under and want to watch on your domestic streaming platform you can catch the show by using a VPN such as NordVPN.
Can I watch 'Solar System' in New Zealand?
There is currently no release date for "Solar System" in New Zealand but if you are a Brit currently there for work or vacation you can catch the show by using a VPN such as NordVPN.
'Solar System' (2024) full episode guide
Season 01 Episode 01 - Volcano Worlds: Professor Brian Cox journeys to the volcano worlds of the solar system and explore alien landscapes bursting with fire and ice. There are planets and moons covered in volcanoes, with eruptions so violent they reach into space. Understanding what makes these worlds active is critical in the search for life beyond Earth.
S01 E02 - Dark Worlds: Professor Brian Cox explores the solar system’s hidden realms, between and beyond the planets, where countless worlds lie shrouded in darkness. He visits some of its least explored regions and finds out what lies beyond the reach of even the most powerful telescopes. The solar system is not just a few worlds orbiting close to the sun - it’s an enormous structure that stretches halfway to the nearest star.
S01 E03 - Storm Worlds: Professor Brian Cox on a journey to the storm worlds of the solar system and explores the weird weather that plays out in the atmospheres of distant planets and moons. He visits landscapes etched by giant dust devils, mountains coated with a strange metallic frost and monsoon rains on a moon a billion kilometres from Earth. These are among the most dramatic and violent worlds ever discovered.
S01 E04 - Ice Worlds: Professor Brian Cox explores the solar system’s frozen worlds. He meets the dwarf planet where mountains of solid ice float across the surface, the black and white moon painted with frost, and a world illuminated by a strange form of ice. In the far reaches of the solar system, ice behaves in unimaginable ways and may have even created habitats for alien life.
S01 E05 - Strange Worlds: Professor Brian Cox explores the solar system’s weirdest worlds – the misfits and oddballs with freakish shapes and sizes. He visits an egg-shaped dwarf planet that shouldn’t really exist, a tiny moon that looks like a UFO, a tortured patchwork moon, and an eerie ocean world in orbit around Jupiter. He also finds out how simple forces have created such bizarre places.
'Solar System' FAQ
Who is Prof. Brian Cox?
Well, it's not the more more Scottish one who stars in "Succession", obvs. It is, however, the Oldham-born former keyboard player in pop band D:Ream who subsequently became a professor of particle physics in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Manchester. Amongst a host of scientific programming for the BBC, the 56 year old also co-presents popular podcast "The Infinite Monkey Cage."
What else can I watch on BBC iPlayer?
Lots – including "Ludwig", "Surviving October 7th", "The Assembly", "This Town", "The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth", "The Reckoning", "Navalny" and "The Stones and Brian Jones".
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