PLANETARIUM

In the spring of 2005 the El Camino Planetarium installed a new GOTO Chronos planetarium projector with new star plate technology that projects 8,500 stars (down to magnitude 6.5), planets and even the Milky Way. Thirteen of the brightest stars in the sky are projected in their natural colors. In addition to stars, the Chronos projector can accurately display 26 of the most popular celestial objects like the Adromeda Galaxy and the Orion Nebula with dedicated projectors for the Magellanic clouds.

Planetarium Shows

The Astronomy Department holds planetarium shows several times each semester. To find out the current planetarium show schedule or to arrange a private show for schools or clubs, call (310) 660-3593 x3373 or 660-3593 x3245.

South Bay Astronomical Society

The South Bay Astronomical Society meets in the planetarium on the first Friday of each month. Business meeting begins at 7:30pm, and a guest speaker is presented at 8pm. The admission is free and students and the public are welcome.

Observatory Open Houses

Concurrent with our planetarium shows and also on other nights, we hold observing sessions on the roof of the Mathematics building. Our observatory houses a Celestron 16 inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. We also have an ST-8 CCD camera so we can take pictures and display them on a computer screen.

The observatory is also equipped with a Hydrogen-Alpha solar filter for viewing solar prominences and flares during the day time.

Check our hotline number for specific dates and for weather reports prior to attending.

El Camino College Astronomy Phone Numbers

Planetarium: (310) 660-3593 x3373
Open House info: (310) 660-3593 x3246

Planetarium Mural

Don Dixon created the beautiful mural at the entrance of the planetarium. Here, Don is explaining the mural's artistic elements, which accurately represent current scientific knowledge: