A Universe of Entertainment : Just look up: The show is great, the cast truly stellar.

The best show for Valley residents this summer is not playing at any movie theater.

Each night, high above the tallest drive-in, residents can relive stories of fearless hunters, colossal bears and Greek gods, told in the form of constellations. Or they can grab a pair of binoculars or a telescope and watch the history of the universe unfold.

From clocking the cloud bands of Jupiter to scanning for supernovae in the Andromeda Galaxy, the night sky is one the best entertainment tickets in the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys--and you never have to spend a fortune to see the show.

“I like this as a hobby because it’s free,” says stargazer Laverne Booth, founder of the Local Group, an amateur astronomy club based in Santa Clarita. “You don’t have to have a telescope to enjoy astronomy. Before I bought a telescope, I spent probably two years looking with my own eyes and a pair of binoculars and looking into other people’s telescopes. That’s the way you want to go if you want to get into this hobby.”

Getting Prepared

The first step in stargazing is to become familiar with what can be seen with the naked eye. This requires finding a dark-sky site with an unobscured horizon, as isolated from city lights as possible, and on a night when the moon is not visible. Try an out-of-the-way park open after dusk with few parking lot lights or, better yet, seek out one of the stargazers’ “secret” hideaways, recommended by those who have made astronomy their hobby.

Before you go, consider several stargazing accessories, even if you do not have a telescope or binoculars. First, bring a lawn chair or something to lie back on comfortably. Second, make sure that your clothing keeps you comfortable.

“I didn’t care for stargazing at first,” says Barry Brown, 58, a stargazer from Woodland Hills. “I was inappropriately dressed.”

Nighttime temperatures, particularly at the remote sites best suited for sky-watching, can drop into the chilly range in summer and to freezing in winter.

Stargazers such as Brown, who has learned his lesson, recommend a double layer of warm clothes (jeans aren’t enough), something to cover your head, warm shoes and socks, even thermal underwear, gloves and ready-to-heat thermal packs for your pockets.

To add warmth, many stargazers bring a thermos of steaming coffee or hot chocolate.

This, of course, leads to cookies, chips, burgers and filet mignon, grilled on a portable barbecue. Before you know it, you’ve created a “star party.”

But you may want to forget the alcohol, says Gene Hanson, 47, a Canoga Park stargazer and member of the Lockwood Valley Hard Core Astronomers.

“The more alcohol you drink, the worse your night vision gets,” Hanson says.

Getting Acquainted

The first thing you might notice when you look up at the night sky is that you feel lost. Fortunately, our ancestors made maps.

Dating back as much as 3,000 years to another valley, the Euphrates Valley in the Middle East, are ancient legends of the night sky. Many are represented in the form of constellations--connect-the-dot patterns of stars.

Today, amateur and professional astronomers use them as “star maps” to guide their telescopes or mark discoveries.

Although there are 88 currently used constellations, the beginning stargazer need know only a few. Bring along the accompanying “Night Sky in August” star map (Page 11) on your first stargazing venture. To maintain night vision while studying the map, use a flashlight with a red cellophane cover taped over the lens.

Getting Serious

Once you have mastered naked-eye viewing, you may want to invest in binoculars or a telescope. This, of course, depends on your budget: Regular 7X35 field binoculars sell for about $50, while massive telescopes such as the ones built by North Hollywood resident John Pons cost in the $100,000 range. And, of course, there are the accessories, ranging from computerized star finders to equipment for astrophotography.

But before you empty your savings account, many serious stargazers recommend joining a local astronomy club.

“Don’t buy a telescope too soon,” Booth says. “Some people spend a lot of money on telescopes and they don’t even know where to point it.”

Not only do local astronomy clubs offer honest, free advice on buying telescopes, they also provide a sense of cosmic companionship.

Most hold monthly star parties, near the time of the new moon, during which new stargazers can get acquainted.

It was one of those parties that led Brown to reconsider his initial distaste for astronomy and join the Lockwood Valley Hard Core Astronomers.

“I went back and met the people,” Brown says. “Even more than the astronomy itself is the friendship, the camaraderie of the people. They kind of draw you into it. I’ve been hooked ever since.”

Best of all, stargazing is a hobby that, like the universe itself, seems endless.

As the Earth travels around the sun, fall, winter, spring and summer bring new constellations, planets and discoveries into view. Like at the old nickel movie theaters, there’s something new to see every weekend.

“I love observing all year long,” says Joe Farrar, 59, a West Hills resident who joined the Los Angeles Astronomical Society after taking an astronomy class at Pierce College. “There are just so many things to see each season.”

He pointed to his chest and added: “Every time you see them, it gets you here .”

References

For information on stargazing, check out: Astronomy and Sky and Telescope magazines, available at bookstores. Griffith Observatory, 2800 E. Observatory Road, Los Angeles. For general information, call (213) 664-1181. For “Sky Report,” call (213) 663-8171. The Local Group Astronomy Club, which has monthly star parties. Contact Elliot Ward, (805) 259-9217 or Jim Mahon, (805) 297-2612. Los Angeles Astronomical Society is another astronomy club with star parties. For information, call (213) 727-7909. Valley College Planetarium, 5800 Fulton Ave., Van Nuys. In addition to the planetarium, there is an astronomy club based at the college. Contact Austin Conover at (818) 781-1200, Ext. 335.

Almost-Secret Dark-Sky Sites

Amateur astronomers in search of a viewing spot might want to check out these dark-sky sites:

* For residents of the San Fernando Valley, amateur astronomer Gene Hansen of Canoga Park recommends Rocky Oaks Park. Take the Ventura Freeway west to Kanan Road in Agoura Hills. Go south on Kanan Road for about six miles until you reach Rocky Oaks Park.

* Laverne Booth, founder of an amateur astronomy club called the Local Group, recommends two dark-sky sites for Santa Clarita Valley residents.

The first is an overlook on the south side of Castaic Lake. Take the Golden State Freeway north to Lake Hughes Road. Turn right, and follow Lake Hughes Road about a mile east until you rise even with the dam. There will be a parking area on your left, overlooking the lake. It is just short of the Castaic Dam Visitor’s Center.

* Another good spot is near the Templin Highway exit, Booth says. Going north on the Golden State Freeway past Castaic, exit on Templin Highway. Turn right and go east about half a mile. There is a large unpaved parking area on the right, perfect for stargazing.