Stargazing Live

Brian Cox and Dara O'Briain will be your guides on an astronomical journey

Rekindle your interest in astronomy with a new BBC series.

Professor Brian Cox and frustrated astronomer Dara O'Briain are presenting three days of live stargazing.

Watch the series on BBC Two and take part in a local event or join in at home.

Stargazing Live takes place from 3 to 5 January to coincide with a number of astronomical events.

Look to the skies

The programme will show images from the most powerful telescopes on Earth.

There should be an opportunity to see Jupiter and Uranus align, a partial solar eclipse and the Quadrantid meteor shower.

Stars to see These should be viewable in the sky between 3 and 5 January Jupiter viewable 2000 - 2100 Uranus viewable 2000-2100 Saturn viewable 0600 Taurus viewable each day Pole Star viewable each day Andromeda viewable each day

Dan Hillier manages the visitor centre at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh and has been advising the programme.

He said: "Scotland has the largest areas of dark skies in western Europe in the north and south of the country."

Expert guidance

These are his tips on how to get the most from your stargazing session.

Stay away from the direct glare of lights such as security lights, street lights and car lights.

Have good sight lines with a low horizon in open space, so stay away from trees and buildings.

Go somewhere which is publicly accessible and be aware of any hazards including traffic and steep drops.

Going to an organised event where experts are on hand to guide you is also a good way to get involved.

Use a star chart to help identify Orion, the Hunter, which is easy to spot in the southern sky at this time of year.

Free Stargazing Live events are taking place across the region to coincide with the broadcast in January.

Your photos

You can share your photos of the night skies as the best will be showcased during the TV shows.

E-mail your images to [e-mail] or visit the Stargazing Live website for more information.

You can watch Stargazing Live on 3, 4 and 5 January 2011 at 2000 on BBC Two.