So, there I was, telescope packed away, a hot cup of cocoa in hand, staring at the dimly-lit cloudy sky like it had personally offended me. No stargazing tonight. But instead of sulking about how the universe was being rude, I decided to bring the cosmos to me—with documentaries. If you’re in the same boat (or cloud), here are ten space documentaries that could make your cloudy night a stellar one.
1. Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey (2014)
- Why Watch? Neil deGrasse Tyson is like the cool science teacher you wish you had. He’ll blow your mind with facts, take you on cosmic journeys, and occasionally throw in a smirk that says, “Yeah, I’m smarter than you, but it’s fine.”
- My Take: Watching this made me realize how small I am in the universe and how big my pile of laundry is in comparison.
- Where to Watch: Disney+, Hulu.
2. Apollo 11 (2019)
- Why Watch? It’s like being a fly on the wall during the Moon landing—except the fly didn’t have access to this much incredible 1960s footage.
- My Take: I cheered so hard during the launch that I scared my dog. Totally worth it.
- Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube Movies.
3. The Farthest: Voyager in Space (2017)
- Why Watch? Voyager’s story is like sending your robot child to college and hoping it remembers to call. Spoiler: It doesn’t. But it does send postcards in the form of groundbreaking data from interstellar space.
- My Take: I cried when they played the Golden Record sounds. Who knew whale songs and Chuck Berry could get you in your feels?
- Where to Watch: PBS, Netflix.
4. The Universe (2007–2015)
- Why Watch? This show dives deep into cosmic phenomena, like black holes and dark energy. It’s like a crash course in astrophysics without the stress of finals.
- My Take: After bingeing a few episodes, I kept shouting, “Did you know the Sun will eat the Earth someday?” to my family. They stopped inviting me to dinner.
- Where to Watch: Hulu, History Channel app.
5. Hubble: The Final Frontier (2010)
- Why Watch? Follow the mission to save the Hubble Space Telescope, aka the best pair of glasses the universe ever had.
- My Take: Watching astronauts fix something in space while I struggle to fix my Wi-Fi is humbling.
- Where to Watch: YouTube, Smithsonian Channel.
6. Contact: The Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (2022)
- Why Watch? Ever left a text on “read” and wondered how it feels? Welcome to humanity’s relationship with aliens.
- My Take: I started scanning the night sky yelling, “Call me back, ET!” Then remembered the clouds.
- Where to Watch: PBS or purchase online.
7. The Last Man on the Moon (2014)
- Why Watch? Gene Cernan’s story is inspiring and makes you wonder why you haven’t achieved your dream of learning guitar yet.
- My Take: It made me feel both awed by human achievement and very aware that I hadn’t left the couch in three hours.
- Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV.
8. Mission Control: The Unsung Heroes of Apollo (2017)
- Why Watch? These are the people who made Apollo missions work while the astronauts got all the glory. Think of them as the backstage crew of space exploration.
- My Take: I now yell, “We need a Go/No-Go poll!” before making any decision, even at the grocery store. Fun for the whole family!
- Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Netflix.
9. Chasing Pluto (2015)
- Why Watch? Poor Pluto. First, it gets demoted from planet status, and now we’re chasing it down for pictures like paparazzi.
- My Take: Pluto’s photos are stunning, but I’ll admit I mostly watched this out of sympathy. #StillAPlanetInMyHeart
- Where to Watch: PBS NOVA.
10. Secrets of the Universe (2020)
- Why Watch? Get ready to feel like an intergalactic Sherlock Holmes as this doc explains quantum physics in a way that makes you say, “Wait… I think I get it?”
- My Take: By the end, I was confidently explaining particle physics to my dog. He seemed impressed.
- Where to Watch: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video.
My Cloudy-Night Epiphany
While waiting for the clouds to clear, I realized something: Space is fascinating, even when you’re stuck inside. These documentaries made me laugh, cry, and occasionally yell, “Why didn’t I become an astronaut?!” – Maybe it has something to do with recycled pee… but that is a topic for a later date.