The Backbone of Night

8.8/10 · 637 votesNov 9, 198060 min

Ranked #12 of 13 in Season 1•−0.1 vs season avg

Humans once thought the stars were campfires in the sky and the Milky Way "the backbone of night." In this fascinating segment Dr. Sagan takes us back to ancient Greece, when the basic question "what are the stars?" was first asked. He visits the Brooklyn elementary

Season 1 Episodes13

E1 8.9

The Shores of the Cosmic Ocean

E2 9.0

One Voice in the Cosmic Fugue

E3 8.8

Harmony of the Worlds

E4 8.9

Heaven and Hell

E5 8.9

Blues for a Red Planet

E6 8.8

Travellers' Tales

E7 8.8Now viewing

The Backbone of Night

E8 9.1

Journeys in Space and Time

E9 9.0

The Lives of the Stars

E10 9.0

The Edge of Forever

E11 8.7

The Persistence of Memory

E12 8.9

Encyclopedia Galactica

E13 9.0

Who Speaks for Earth?

Cast1

Carl Sagan

Self - Host

Crew4

Carl Sagan

Writer

Adrian Malone

Director

Ann Druyan

Writer

Steven Soter

Writer

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Episode Summary

"The Backbone of Night" is episode 7 of Cosmos: A Personal Voyage season 1. It scored 8.8/10 from 637 votes, ranking #12 of 13 episodes this season (season average 8.9). Directed by Adrian Malone and written by Carl Sagan, Ann Druyan, Steven Soter, it aired on November 9, 1980.

The Backbone of Night

Seasons1

Season 1 Episodes13

Cast1

Crew4

Discussion

Episode Summary