For UK TV viewers: tonight (Tue 9th Feb) "The Spirit of Mars" featuring an interview with Steve Squyres on BBC4 at 20:00 (also repeated later at 23:30).

Steve Squyres was on excellent form, worth catching the programme for his 15 minute interview.

(Not sure about Chris Lintott's description of 'ring rainbows' on the Cassini Prometheus images though. Aren't they just motion/composition artefacts?)

BBC iPlayer: The Sky at Night 'The Spirit of Mars' episode. Available until the 16th of Feb. I don't think it will work for those outside the UK without using a proxy.

I noticed that and it came as a bit of a shock. It must be wrong, but you really do not expect that on this programme.

What did he say? He asked me for permission to use my color composite of Prometheus on the show -- did my caption confuse him somehow?

CL, he say-

"Look in the top left at these little coloured features, these aren't the moon at all. These are rainbows. The light has passed through the icy particles in Saturn's moon [presumably he meant to say rings here] and you've got 'ringbows' scattered across the surface".

Uh...

Sounds like a definite "oops!".

I don't think your image *was* captioned Emily, but I'll double check. One of James' pics was, but I know my colourisation of Spirit stuck at Homeplate wasn't captioned. (The BBC emailed Emily asking if she thought I'd mind them using my pic, she emailed back suggesting they ask me, I emailed them giving permission, and still no caption. Bit narked about that.

Ugh. Mea culpa all round, I think, which is a shame because I was very proud of the main interview.

The rainbow error was my fault; Emily's image appeared a few minutes before filming and it was too good not to go in, but I didn't check it out properly, for which I'm sorry. As for image captions, I know the team in the edit do their best but things fall through gaps. If you email me the details I'll try and get it put right.

Chris

It was a terrific interview Chris, well done with that.

Hang on, so one of mine was shown? cool!

I forgot about the programme and was busy answering questions about my MER work for a Finnish magazine at the time! So much media attention so little time.

Was planning to iPlayer it tonight anyway.

James

Thanks. I'm hoping they'll post the full 45 minute unedited version later this week so that people from beyond the UK can see it. Will let you know if that happens.

We nearly had an even bigger error - the cameraman tilted one of the solar panels on the model of Spirit that sat behind Steve to make it look better. Luckily we noticed before filming...

Yup - superb work with Squyres there Chris. Very good stuff.

I would urge anyone who can access the BBC's iPlayer to get on it and watch the interview with SS; Chris really brought out the enthusiasm and sheer joy SS feels for both the MER mission itself and exploration in general. SS usually comes across very well in interviews, as we all know, but in the Sky at Night one he somehow seemed much more reflective and in awe of how much he, the MER team and the rovers themselves have achieved. Definitely a keeper. Well done, Chris!

You should have asked them to Finnish the interview a bit sooner.

Get out.

Chris, do You already know with which "Sky at night" magzine issue the interview DVD will become available?

The April issue. Chris

Really enjoyed the show Chris - thanks for all your work to make it happen. And to the others whose work was shown (Doug, James etc).

Neil