Donald E. Bianchi Planetarium

Planetarium From Outside
Located on the CSUN campus within the complex of Science Buildings, adjacent to the building formerly known as Science Building 3, now Citrus Hall, the Donald E. Bianchi Planetarium (shown in the accompanying photo) provides bi-weekly star shows and other programs not only for CSUN students but also for the many communities of the San Fernando Valley and surrounding areas.


Spring 2014 Schedule - January - March

Spring 2014 - Schedule - March - May

Please be prompt. For our guests' enjoyment, there is no admittance after the program starts.


For show information: call 818.677.5601

ADMISSION
General admission: $6 for one show, $10 for two shows
Student admission: $4 for one show, $7 for two shows
Recommended for ages 8 and up

TICKETS
Tickets are available at the door prior to show time. To ensure a seat, advance ticket purchase is recommended.

To order tickets, call the A.S. Box Office: 818.677.2488 [Monday - Friday: 10:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M.]

PARKING & DIRECTIONS
Parking is enforced 24/7 everywhere on campus. All parking lots have parking permit dispensers and/or an attendant booth. Purchase your parking permit and follow the posted parking instructions before you walk over to the Planetarium. We recommend using Lot G4, located on Zelzah Avenue. The cost of the parking permit is $6.00 per vehicle.

Campus Map
Directions to CSUN

PAST SPEAKERS

For your convenience, here is a list and accompanying descriptions of our past speakers.

ABOUT THE BIANCHI PLANETARIUM

The Donald E. Bianchi Planetarium is operated by CSUN's Department of Physics and Astronomy. It is named after the founding dean of our College of Science and Mathematics, who was instrumental in obtaining the funds for Science Buildings III and IV and the Planetarium. The late Dr. Adrian Herzog was the first planetarium director, and the design concept is his.

With the support of Dean Edward J. Carroll, Jr., the planetarium began offering regularly scheduled public shows for the first time in 2002.

At the heart of our 100-seat star theater lies the Spitz-512 Star Projector, capable of recreating the night sky on our 40-foot dome with accuracy and brilliance. Over 2,000 stars, the five visible planets, and all of the apparent motions of the sky come alive overhead in a unique and relaxing environment. The Bianchi Planetarium is also equipped to support large format image projection and captivating digital sound.

For rental information, or to schedule private shows, please call 818.677.5601 or email us.

PLANETARIUM STAFF

Dr. Jan Dobias, Program Director
Jan.Dobias@csun.edu - 818.677.5601

Dr. Jan Dobias is the Program Coordinator for our informal space education outreach. Dr. Dobias received his Ph.D. in Astronomy from UCLA in 1987. He is a lecturer at CSUN and is a Research Associate at the San Fernando Observatory. He teaches Astronomy at CSUN and has also taught classes at Antelope Valley College, Santa Monica College, and UCLA summer school. His experience adds significantly to our Donald E. Bianchi Planetarium program series.


ADDITIONAL LINKS

General Links

www.at-la.com
@LA has been received numerous honors and awards, including being designated as "Best Community Site in the U.S." and now has over 88,000 links, classified in 8,500+ categories.

General Astronomy

www.universetoday.com
An excellent site with exciting information on the space sciences.

www.badastronomy.com
The brain child of Dr. Phil Plait, "The Bad Astronomer." This site dispells the myths and rumors that flood the sciences.

www.space.com
www.astronomy.com
Everything current in the space sciences

www.jpl.nasa.gov
JPL's site containing information on current NASA missions and much more.

Other Planetaria

Drescher Planetarium, Santa Monica, CA
www.smc.edu/planetarium

Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, CA
www.griffithobservatory.org