Professor Brian Cox begins his epic exploration of the cosmos, beginning with the great luminous bodies that bring light and warmth to the universe, the stars. Throughout the opening episode, he looks at how stars created life and meaning in the cosmos, from the dawn of time through to the arrival of our own star, the Sun.

A space mission discovers the dramatic history of the Milky Way. Prof Brian Cox reveals how our galaxy endured multiple collisions as rival galaxies fought for survival.