Planetarium show reveals stars to Bruins

By Marisa Yamane

Daily Bruin Contributor

There are billions of stars in the universe. Unfortunately, many Los Angeles residents are unable to freely stargaze because the bright city lights and smog obscure most of their view.

The UCLA planetarium gives students the opportunity to see the night sky minus all of the lights and smog in a "planetary simulation."

On Wednesday night, the Physics and Astronomy Department held their first planetarium show for the spring quarter, followed by a telescope viewing.

"The good thing about the planetarium is that we can travel to anywhere in the world and see what the night sky would look like," said James Colbert, a teaching assistant in the Physics and Astronomy Department and the host of the show.

Colbert pointed out celestial bodies such as the Milky Way, the Andromeda galaxy and the North Star.

"Los Angeles is at 37 degrees latitude, so that's how high the North Star will always appear to us. Ancient mariners used the North Star to guide them on voyages," Colbert explained.

Students also saw cartoon figures of the constellations Orion and Taurus, who looked like they were about to engage in a battle. Following the simulation, students viewed the real stars through a telescope.

"Not only is it a learning tool for students in Astronomy, it is also an open house for others to learn and look through the telescope," Colbert said.

Through the telescope, students saw the Orion nebula, the moon and - UCLA's favorite - the blue and gold double star known as the Bruin.

"People have given various telescopes to the department, and as long as there are telescopes, we will continue to have this open house," Colbert said.

Planetarium shows will be held on Wednesdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m. and on Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. throughout the rest of the quarter.

Telescope viewing will be available following the sky show on Wednesdays ( subject to weather). Both are located on the roof of the Math Sciences Building.