Observatory Displays Space Station Replica

Visitors can see how astronauts would eat, sleep and even shower in a near zero-gravity environment in a full-scale replica of the International Space Station on display at the Griffith Observatory through Sunday.

Visitors can walk through the mock-up of the living quarters and laboratory of the space station, scheduled to operate early next century as a joint venture of the United States, Russia, Japan and nine European countries.

The exhibit is part of the Observatory’s 60th anniversary celebration. (213) 664-1191

ASTRONOMY AND SPACE SCIENCE

* Richard Terrile, project scientist for the proposed spacecraft mission to Pluto, will discuss the challenges of sending a spacecraft 3 billion miles at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Griffith Observatory. His talk is in conjunction with the observatory’s planetarium program, “Pluto Express.” (213) 664-1191

* The history, business and status of the International Space Station will be the subject of a Los Angeles Community Reuse Organization seminar from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the Energy Technology Engineering Center near Chatsworth. Deadline to register is 3 p.m. Friday. (818) 586-6424

* The distance to stars, how bright and how hot they are--are some of the questions that will be examined in the Santa Monica College astronomy program at 8 p.m. Friday after the Night Sky Show at 7 p.m. (310) 452-9396

BUGS

* The ninth annual Insect Fair, featuring exhibits of living and preserved insects, programs on the spiders of the Los Angeles Basin, guest lecturers and educational demonstrations, will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. (213) 744-3466

* Butterflies of Los Angeles County will be the featured topic at the monthly meeting of the Pasadena Audubon Society at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Los Angeles County Arboretum in Arcadia. (818) 798-5522

ENVIRONMENT

“Wheel to the Sea,” a naturalist-led tour for people in wheelchairs, will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Call the Wilderness Institute at (818) 991-7327 for information and reservations.

HEALTH/MEDICINE

* A seminar on “Coping with Arthritis” will be offered from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Daniel Freeman Marina Hospital in Marina del Rey. Preregistration is required. (800) 356-2824

* Debbie McConnell of the Alzheimer’s Assn. will conduct a workshop for care givers on the common causes of difficult behavior among dementia sufferers and ways to deal with this behavior; 2 p.m. Thursday at the Long Beach Community Hospital Harriman Jones Medical Clinic. (310) 494-0590

SCIENCE FOR KIDS

* Children 5 and older can learn about cleaning up the air from AQMD educators in workshops at 2 and 3 p.m. Saturday at Kidspace Museum in Pasadena. (818) 449-9144