Irish animation firm creates a child's eye view of the solar system

A cartoon series designed to teach pre-school children about the universe will be broadcast on RTÉ for the first time this morning.

Geronimo Productions (formerly Monster Animation) says Planet Cosmo is the first programme series in the world explaining astronomy to children who are so young.

Planet Cosmo is created, written and director by Jason Tammemagi – originator of the series Fluffy Gardens which now airs in more than 100 countries.

Tammemagi conceived Planet Cosmo when finding there was no programme explaining the solar system or the stars to any child under the age of nine. He set out to produce something that was both educational and informative for children.

Cosmo is a girl who lives on the Moon with her mum and dad and little brother Sol. In each episode they embark on a trip to one of the planets in the solar system.

The programme is interspersed with explanations from a real-life narrator.

The series cost €1.3 million and was financed by Geronimo Productions, RTÉ, the Irish Film Board and section 481 broadcasters.

Irish animation companies are booming but Geronimo Productions is one of the few that creates and owns its own work.

The series has already been sold to television stations in Portugal and Finland and there is considerable interest elsewhere.

Geronimo producer Gerard O’Rourke says very young children have difficulty in understanding that Earth too is in space, hence the decision to locate most of the the series on the Moon. “There are a lot of children’s shows based in space,” he adds, “but they don’t tell you anything about space.”

Planet Cosmo will go out weekdays at 9.10am and 12.25pm on RTÉ Two from this morning.