Alpha Scorpio

Alpha Scorpio

Company type	Television program
Industry	Television
Founded	1974
Founder	James Davern
Headquarters	Australia
Products	Children's science fiction television series

Alpha Scorpio was an Australian children's science fiction television program with a brief run, created and produced by James Davern. It was broadcast on ABC Television in 1974. The narrative centers on university students portrayed by Peter Hepworth and Kevin Wilson, who encounter unusual phenomena while camping near Aireys Inlet, Victoria. They uncover that their acquaintance Mirny (Kurt Ludescher) belongs to a group of extraterrestrials originating from the fifth planet orbiting Antares. The series consisted of six episodes and is currently classified as lost media.

Characters

• Andrew (Peter Hepworth)
• Penny (Alexandra Hines)
• Steven (Kevin Wilson)
• McIntyre (Terry Gill)
• Mirny (Kurt Ludescher)
• Bates (Ian Smith)
• Collins (Neville Thurgood)
• Mr. Williams (Frank Wilson)

Plot

For his geology research, Andy brings a seismograph to the holiday cabin. While the device mainly detects man-made vibrations from nearby ships and vehicles, one afternoon it records a distinct 10-second anomaly that coincides with a local power outage.

This phenomenon repeats on irregular days, occurring slightly earlier each time. Occasionally, a weaker version of the event appears without any discernible pattern. During a fishing trip, Steve observes an albatross inexplicably disappear amid one of these weaker occurrences.

Steve also notes that the lighthouse emits a beam during daylight hours, which seems synchronized with cargo ship arrivals and the timing of the weaker events.

He concludes that the stronger anomaly takes place whenever the star Antares reaches its zenith above Airey's Inlet, with a preceding weaker event earlier in the day. Despite some inconsistencies due to latitude differences, this pattern remains consistent. Meanwhile, Steve develops a friendship with Mirny, the enigmatic fisherman, as police detectives investigate activity near the lighthouse.

The story’s climax reveals that Mirny is an alien envoy sent to Earth to collect deuterium oxide needed to sustain their dying star Antares (alpha Scorpii). The lighthouse has been converted into a transmat beam designed to extract deuterium oxide from cargo vessels. A more powerful transmat located in an underground facility near a well transmits the fuel back to Antares, causing power surges in town detected by Steve’s seismograph.

The disappearance of the albatross occurs when it flies into the transmat beam during fuel transfer.

In the concluding episode, Mirny explains their mission. Steve and Andy come to understand its urgency while detectives close in on them.

Mirny and his team activate the high-powered transmat one final time to return home with their last shipment of deuterium oxide, narrowly evading law enforcement. The transmat is destroyed during this escape; seawater floods both the well and underground base, eliminating all evidence of the extraterrestrial presence.

Steve and Andy resume their university life, keeping their extraordinary experience confidential.

Technical Issues

Due to budget limitations, filming was done using 35mm black-and-white film stock with simple lighting and minimal set design. All episodes have been preserved within the National Archives of Australia.

Another infrequently seen children’s series produced by the same team, Andra, adapted from Louise Lawrence’s novel, was aimed at pre-adolescent girls and featured an equally compelling storyline.