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This is a beautiful thing for the cause of science education, of course, but you'll forgive us old-time Sagan fans for being wary of the interloper — as wary as Doctor Who fans are every time that show replaces the lead actor they've become comfortable with.

Old 'Cosmos' vs. new 'Cosmos': Who's the king of the universe?

Battle of the Stars: an artist's conception of the forthcoming co-joining of the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies. (NASA)There were two times in my life when I was literally brought to my knees by the beauty of the night sky. Once was on a camping trip in the Nevada desert in my late 20s, when I looked up, caught the Milky Way shining brighter and clearer than ever I'd seen, like a river of a billion diamonds. My legs started ...