The shows are scheduled at 7 p.m. on Feb. 1 and 15, March 1 and 15, April 5 and 19, May 3 and 17 and June 7 and 21 in the Donald E. Bianchi Planetarium in Science Building III near the center of the campus at 18111 Nordhoff St. in Northridge.

"We are excited about our regularly scheduled public events," said Christopher McGowan, program coordinator for the planetarium. "Our audience has been growing steadily, and we've added some new equipment to enhance our shows. We will continue to bring in experts with our guest lecture series, and improve our technology as we strive to become the Valley leader in informal space science education."

The first expert speaker of the new year, Eric Becklin from UCLA, will discuss his work on the SOFIA: Stratosphere Observatory for Infrared Astronomy project, on Feb. 1. SOFIA's goal is to develop and operate a 2.5-meter infrared telescope in a Boeing 747-SP.

The show is recommended for people ages 8 and above.

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.

Tickets to the show are $5 for adults and $3 for students. 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.

For more information about the show, call McGowan at (818) 677-5601 or e-mail him at christopher.mcgowan@csun.edu.

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, present their research results at national and international meetings, and prepare for teaching careers.

California State University, Northridge has more than 32,000 full- and part-time students and offers 59 bachelor's and 41 master's degrees as well as 28 education credential programs. Founded in 1958, it is the only four-year university in the San Fernando Valley and the fourth largest in the 23-campus CSU system. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges recently said CSUN "stands as a model to other public urban institutions of higher education."