The public is invited to spend an...

The public is invited to spend an evening with the stars at El Camino College on the next two Fridays. Gowns and black ties are optional.

The college’s planetarium is presenting “The Winter Sky” Friday and Jan. 24 for those interested in learning about the stars visible this time of year.

“The program will provide basic information as to how to view the sky and the objects in it,” said Jim Lund, planetarium manager. Lund will explain the meaning of such terms as the celestial sphere, the meridian and the ecliptic to help amateur stargazers locate the planets and the brightest constellations.

“The stars of winter are so bright,” Lund said. “When you look to the southeast at 9 or 10 o’clock you can see the constellation Orion the hunter with the three stars in his belt and the two dogs (Canis Major and Canis Minor) below him.”

A number of other well-known stars and constellations are visible without a telescope, Lund said. The seven stars of the Big Dipper are low on the horizon and Cassiopeia is almost overhead. Gemini, with its bright twins, Kastor and Pollux, is to the north of Orion, which appears to be pursuing Taurus the bull.

The brightest star in the sky is Sirius, Lund said. It’s 23 times brighter than the sun and one of the closest stars to Earth. Close, however, is a relative term. Sirius is 8.6 light-years away--about 51 trillion miles.

Lund, a “jack-of-all-trades” who plans to retire in June after 36 years at the college, will also talk about the stories and myths associated with various constellations.

For example, there are several different stories about Orion from different parts of the world, Lund said, but Western astronomers usually refer to the one passed down from the Greeks.

According to the legend, Orion was killed accidentally by the goddess Diana, who sent him to the heavens when she realized what she had done.

After the presentation, weather permitting, Lund will escort the audience to the observation deck for a look through the planetarium’s 16-inch Celestron telescope.

Lund said there might be a chance to see a group of stars known as the Pleiades. This star cluster appears on the back of the Japanese car Suburu, which is the Japanese word for the Pleiades, he said.

The Friday programs begin at 8 p.m. The planetarium doors open at 7:45 p.m. and close promptly at 8:05 p.m. Tickets must be purchased through the auditorium box office. Call (213) 329-5345 for information. El Camino College is at 16007 Crenshaw Blvd. in Torrance.