By Lookout Staff

June 3, 2025 -- From amateur telescopes to observatories to radio astronomy, the Santa Monica College (SMC) planetarium will survey the evolving ways to explore the universe this month.

The John Drescher Planetarium will also offer tips on how to view the late spring and early summer skies during its series of free, live virtual shows on Fridays at 8 p.m.

June's lineup kicks off this Friday when lecturer Jim Mahon presents “Meeting the Universe on a California Mountaintop: The Great Debate and Its Resolution.”

"In the early 20th century, the nature of what were then called 'spiral nebula' was a hot topic in the emerging field of cosmology," the show's preview explains.

In 1920, the highly publicized debate, which lacked data, focused on whether the Milky Way was all there was or if "those poorly resolved spirals (were) a lot farther away than many guessed."

"Three years later, on California’s own Mount Wilson, the picture began to come together."

Today's sky watchers don't need a high powered telescope to see the "dazzling collection of objects beyond the solar system" that fill the late spring and early summer skies as nights become warmer.

All that's needed is a car to drive to where the skies are dark enough to clearly see beyond the solar system with an amateur telescope.

On Friday, June 13, Mahon will "use images to review some of these night-sky gems, and discuss opportunities to get out there and view them" during the show “Late Spring and Early Summer Deep Sky Wonders.”

On Friday, June 27, Lecturer Sarah Vincent presents “Radio Astronomy: Exploring the Low-Energy Universe,” which explains how observing the universe in radio frequencies can reveal secrets "hidden in visible light."

"Galactic cores, protoplanetary discs, and the event horizons of black holes all shine brightly in the radio spectrum," according to a preview of the show.

The shows are preceded by a streamlined, virtual digest of the popular Night Sky Show at 7 p.m. that offers the latest news in astronomy and space exploration.

Planetarium lecturers are currently using the Zoom platform to present shows while SMC’s new planetarium and observatory are in the final stages of construction

To attend the virtual shows, the Zoom software must be installed on the viewer’s computer. A free download is available at zoom.com.

"The shows include the chance to chat with the planetarium lecturers and ask questions related to astronomy and space exploration," planetarium officials said.

More information is available online at smc.edu/planetarium or by calling 310-434-3005. Shows are subject to change or cancellation without notice.