The planetarium offers two shows every Friday night to give the public an opportunity to view different aspects of the evening skies. The first show begins at 6:30 p.m. and will be an examination of the stars and constellations that fill the night sky in autumn.

The second show, scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. each Friday, will be followed by a telescope viewing of the night sky, weather permitting. The second show offerings are:

• Oct. 7 ­-- "The Search for Life in the Universe," in which recorded narrator Leonard Nimoy poses the question, "Are we alone in the universe?" The show explores attempts by humans to establish contact with extraterrestrial civilizations.
• Oct. 14 -- "SIM--The Next Great Observatory" gives the public an opportunity to learn more about the Space Interferometry Mission, which is expected to revolutionize our understanding of astronomy and astrophysics. SIM's system scientist Steven J. Edberg will talk about the instrument, spacecraft and ground system designs that are currently being prepared for the mission.
• Oct. 21 -- "High Resolution Astronomy near Downtown Los Angeles: Recent Results from the CHARRA Array" will examine what is being learned from Georgia State University's CHARRA Array located near Mount Wilson Observatory. The array is using an old technique, long baseline optical interferometry, along with modern technology to study the skies. Astronomer David Berger of the University of Michigan will be presenting.
• Oct. 28 --"The War of the Worlds: A Brief History of the Martian Invasion" will celebrate the anniversary of the infamous 1938 Halloween-eve Orson Welles radio broadcast. The program will survey adaptations of the Welles classic in relation to astronomical discoveries and ongoing rocket/robotic exploration of the planet.

Student admission for the planetarium shows is $3 for one show and $5 for both. General admission is $5 for one show and $8 for both. Tickets are available at the University Student Union box office Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by calling the box office at (818) 677-2488.