MIDDLESBORO — Middlesboro is a now a wonder of the solar system. That is, according to a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) film crew that shot a science documentary called “Seven Wonders of the Solar System” a few weeks ago in the city and Cumberland Gap. The film is being produced by BBC’s science division and is featuring the “Crater City” because of the expansive meteor crater that surrounds the city.

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park Superintendent Mark Woods said that the crew visited many of the key landmarks of the park, like Hensley’s Settlement, the Pinnacle Overlook, the Visitor’s Center, Shillelagh Village, Cumberland Falls, and the Iron Furnace. Woods said he was under the impression the crew was only scouting the area and doing limited filming.

According to Jane Francisco, Events Coordinator for Webb’s Country Kitchen, the seven-member crew stayed in Cumberland Gap at the Old Mill Bed and Breakfast from July 29-31. The new owner of the inn, Hester Kuykendall, contacted Francisco, who then invited the film crew to the restaurant and encouraged them to film in the town. She said they also scouted Middlesboro during their three day stay and shot the crater formation from the Pinnacle overlook — though the foggy weather limited their shooting.

They ended up filming some footage inside the restaurant and around Cumberland Gap for the documentary as well. Francisco said she called local band Tazewell Pike to come and play while the crew filmed. After they showed up, the crew decided to feature the band in the documentary and use their music on the soundtrack.

Band member and Sales Manager of Sigmon Communications Larry Carter said that his band was excited to play during the filming.

“The band happened to be at the right place at the right time,” said Carter, who hosts the radio show “Bluegrass for Breakfast” every morning from 9 a.m.—noon on 740 AM.

He said the film crew told his band they would incorporate the music into their soundtrack.

“The two songs we did were ‘In the Pines,’ a very old song that seems to have been traced back to the 1870’s,” said Carter, “and an original tune from Tazewell Pike band member Teddy Cosby, titled ‘Fathers to Sons’”.

The other band members include Mitchell Cosby, and Michael Cosby.

“They wanted a bluegrass band that fit the Appalachian area,” said Francisco.

Francisco said one of the members of the BBC was a scientist and did an impromptu presentation that explained the creation of Middlesboro’s crater inside Webb’s that was filmed for the documentary. The presenter was renowned particle physicist, Professor Brian Cox, according to a press release on the BBC’s website.

“They had one of their crewmen use salt and pepper, mustard and ketchup, and packages of Sweet and Low to show the crater alley that’s between Saturn and Neptune,” said Francisco. She said the scientist utilized all of the condiments right off of the table to demonstrate the creation of Middlesboro’s crater. She said that the film crew put Webb’s employee at tables in the background and filmed shots from looking down on the table from the second floor. She said the director used multiple takes for both the presentation and the band’s performance to be edited into the documentary.

Francisco said the documentary would air first on BBC2 in March 2010, and then come to America and seven other countries in early summer. She said it would also likely air on the Discovery Channel.

The press release further states that the five-part documentary “will take viewers on a journey of discovery to see the Seven Wonders Of The Solar System. From the giant ice fountains of Enceladus to the liquid methane seas of Titan, storms twice the size of the Earth and the tortured moon of Io with its giant super-volcanoes, this is the Solar System as it has never been seen before.”

Stephen Woodward is a Staff Writer for the Daily News. He may be contacted at swoodward@middlesborodailynews.com.