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# Santa Monica Star parties and planet queens
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-star-parties-and-planet-queens/
- Published: 2007-05-04T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T00:41:35.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Education, Santa Monica, #archive-import

“What Are Star Parties, and How Can I Find One?” and “Choosing a First Telescope!” are the feature shows at Santa Monica College’s Friday Night Astronomy series in May.

“Star Parties” is scheduled for 8 p.m. on May 4 and 11 at SMC’s John Drescher Planetarium. It will cover gatherings of telescope viewers in California and the West and even nearby haunts like the Griffith Observatory and Vazquez Rocks.

“Choosing a First Telescope!” will be held at 8 p.m. on May 18\. The presentation will demystify the optical and mechanical jargon associated with telescopes and will provide guidance on determining what instrument is best for you.

The feature shows are preceded by “The Night Sky Show,” which re-creates the night sky and provides the latest information on space exploration, at 7 p.m.

The John Drescher Planetarium, which features the Digistar projection system, is located on the second floor of Drescher Hall, 1900 Pico Blvd. Tickets are $5 each or $9 for the “double bill,” with discounts for children and senior citizens. For information, call (310) 434-4223\. DP

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 4, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/050407.pdf?ref=smdp.com)