Itinerary: Space Age

“Space” is one of those great, all-encompassing words that can mean the atmosphere around your work cubicle or the entire unknown realm outside the planet.

Space has fascinated man ever since he first looked up. Each century produces more studies, more explorations, more data about a subject that is nearly unfathomable. The more we know, the more we find out there is almost too much to know.

L.A. is so inundated with kitschy architectural and design reminders of our ‘60s fascination with space that we often forget there is an actual place called space out there. But we have plenty of local telescopes to prove it. While “Mission to Mars” still plays at the local cineplex, the Cassini spacecraft is passing Jupiter on its own mission to Saturn.

Whether you like your space real or imagined, there’s plenty to do this weekend for armchair astronauts.

Friday

The eternal Capt. Kirk--William Shatner--discusses his latest directorial effort, “Groom Lake,” at 5 p.m. on https://www.ScienceFiction.com. The interview will be followed by online chats with cast and crew members from the film’s Arizona shooting location.

Make it a total space evening at Santa Monica City College (1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica): At 7 p.m. catch the digitally projected night sky show at the John Drescher Planetarium. Then at 8 p.m., Cassini mission investigation scientist Kevin Grazier will discuss the mission (Science Building #140. Both shows, $7; $4 for children. [310] 434-3000).

Saturday

Pop composer George Russell’s superb eccentric ‘60s recording “Jazz in the Space Age” in the CD player and drive up to Mt. Wilson Observatory (take the Angeles Crest Highway exit off the 210 Freeway to the Red Box Ranger Station. Follow the signs up the Mt. Wilson-Red Box Road. The observatory is about 19 miles from Angeles Crest Highway. [626] 793-3100). The observatory is open on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., weather permitting. Private tours are available by reservation; regular walking tours resume in April. Make sure to get an Adventure Pass, required for parking anywhere in the Angeles National Forest. They cost $5 and are available at a number of locations, including the Shell Station at the Angeles Crest exit from the 210 Freeway. Call (818) 790-1151 for other locations.

Sunday

For a centuries-old take on the heavens, visit Huntington Library’s exhibit “Star Struck: 1,000 Years of the Art and Science of Astronomy” (1151 Oxford Road, San Marino [626-405-2141], 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., admission $8.50, adults; $8, seniors; $6, students; $3, children younger than 12). Rare books and manuscripts show the strange and sometimes mystical way in which man has perceived the stars.

By the time Sunday evening rolls around, you’re going to be ready to lighten up a bit. At 7 p.m., “Futurama” airs on Fox. More irreverent than “The Simpsons,” the animated series is a hilarious sendup of future life and well, maybe things won’t be that different in the years ahead.

Polish off the evening with a visit to the Viper Room (8852 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, [310] 385-1880) for a set by Samantha 7. Leader C.C. Deville was the “spaced-out,” drug-addicted guitar player for glam band Poison. Now he is so clean that he lectures and does public service announcements about the dangers of drugs. On stage, the wild man is still pretty far out there, but his new band is hipper and tighter and the lyrics will crack you up. The cool pop beat will anchor you solidly back on planet Earth.