Jean-Luc Margot, the O.K. Earl postdoctoral fellow in the division of geological and planetary sciences at the California Institute of Technology, is the evening's guest lecturer. He will talk about the latest technology scientists are using to understand what planets are made of and how they are formed.

The evening's activities are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in the Donald E. Bianchi Planetarium in Science Building III near the center of the campus at 18111 Nordhoff St. in Northridge.

The planetarium is hosting a series of shows the first and third Saturday of every month through March.

Tickets to the shows are $5 for adults and $3 for students. The shows are recommended for children ages 8 and older.

CSUN's Donald E. Bianchi Planetarium is operated by the university's Department of Physics and Astronomy. It is named after the founding dean of the College of Science and Mathematics. At the heart of the 105-seat theater is a Spitz-512 Star Projector, capable of recreating the night sky on the planetarium's 40-foot dome with accuracy and brilliance. More than 2,000 stars, the five visible planets and all of their apparent motions in the sky seem to come alive as they are projected overhead.

CSUN's College of Science and Mathematics is home to several nationally recognized programs where students gain valuable experience through hands-on work using the latest technologies and equipment. Students also have an opportunity to co-author publications with faculty members and present their research results at national and international meetings.