Vintage 'Cosmos' Marathon Airs This Weekend on National Geographic Channel

by Megan Gannon, News Editor
Carl Sagan at the Very Large Array in New Mexico.

Fans of the late astronomer Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" have even more to be excited about this weekend.

Leading up to Sunday's premiere of the new "Cosmos" reboot, hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson, the National Geographic Channel will air a marathon of the original 1980 TV series.

Sagan's classic show, "Cosmos: A Personal Voyage," was first broadcast on PBS and it enjoyed a decade-long reign as the most watched series on public television in the United States. In 13 episodes, Carl Sagan guided viewers through the complexities and awe-inspiring wonders of the universe, weaving in everything history lessons on the Library of Alexandria to musing on the dangers of nuclear war. [Carl Sagan's Astronomy Legacy in Pictures (Gallery)]

The next-generation version of the show, "Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey," aims to have the same broad appeal with Tyson, already well known as a science popularizer, as host. Two of the original show's writers, Anny Druyan and Steve Soter, are also behind the revival, as is "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane.

The new "Cosmos" airs Sunday (March 9) on Fox at 9 p.m. EDT and Monday (March 10) on National Geographic at 10 p.m. EDT.

For those planning a vintage "Cosmos" binge, here's the schedule of episodes from National Geographic:

Saturday, March 8:

12 p.m. - The Shore of the Cosmic Ocean

1 p.m. - One Voice in the Cosmic Fugue

2 p.m. - Harmony of the Worlds

3 p.m. - Heaven and Hell

4 p.m. - Blues for a Red Planet

5 p.m. - Travellers' Tales

Sunday, March 9:

12 p.m. - The Backbone of Night

1 p.m. - Journeys in Space and Time

2 p.m. - The Lives of the Stars

3 p.m. - The Edge of Forever

4 p.m. - The Persistence of Memory

5 p.m. - Encyclopaedia Galactica

6 p.m. - Who Speaks for Earth?

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