The Donald E. Bianchi Planetarium reopened its doors in February for the first time since closing its doors due to the pandemic in 2020. Located next to Citrus Hall, the planetarium offers biweekly “Friday Night Star Shows,” starting at 7 p.m. that is open to the public.

The 40-foot Planetarium’s interior is all white. When the lights turn off, the star projector, also known as “Priscilla,” illuminates the room with projections of all the various stars and constellations in our skies. Once a constellation is shown, the dome rotates around the room, providing a fully immersive view of the sea of stars before us.

During certain parts of the viewing, the audience is led to “go for a walk,” where the show pinpoints how the night sky appears throughout Los Angeles. This was done following the meridian, which is used to adjust the orientation of the projection on the ceiling. As the show goes from constellation to constellation, the audience is provided with historical background, such as indigenous people who used the stars for mapping, or Roman and Greek mythology, which provided stories for star formations.

Following the viewing, a slideshow presentation enlightened the audience with facts about the birth of stars, the various formations and lifecycles, and pictures from the James Webb Space Telescope. The photos, as described by the show, are the stars telling viewers their story.

The planetarium’s star shows are a captivating and family-friendly experience that is perfect for students and families who want to learn more about the stars.

Upcoming planetarium viewings will be held on April 12 at 7 p.m., April 26 at 7 p.m., May 10 at 7 p.m. and May 24 at 7 p.m.. The viewings are held on a first come first serve basis, with 100 seats available per show. More information about the planetarium star shows is available here.