By Lookout Staff

March 2, 2015 -- Sky watchers and space enthusiasts can mark their calendars for upcoming events at Santa Monica College spotlighting astronomical phenomenon and human spaceflight.

SMC’s John Drescher Planetarium, 1900 Pico Boulevard, will host the special events next month at 8 p.m., including “NASA Human Spaceflight” on March 6 and March 13 and a special moon observing event on March 27.

The first event will review where American human spaceflight stands today.

“We’ll bring you up to speed on when can we expect to have a domestic human space flight capability again, and what the differences are between the spacecraft being developed,” planetarian officials said.

On March 20, guests can sit in on a lecture, “Tilt! Equinoxes and Solstices Explained.” SMC’s Earth Sciences Department professors will use the planetarium’s Digistar projector and other imagery to explain what equinoxes and solstices are.

“We’ll try to remedy this disconnect from the natural world – and dispel some myths,” officials said.

On March 27, the planetarium will hold a special observing event, “First Quarter Moon, Jupiter!”

Planetarium Director Jim Mahon, formerly of Griffith Park Observatory, will lead the event, which will “take a look through a variety of telescopes at the 10-day-old gibbous Moon and its prominent craters, along with the largest planet of our solar system -- mighty Jupiter -- and its four largest moons,” officials said.

All of the events in March are preceded by a 7 p.m. Night Sky Show, featuring the latest in astronomy news and space exploration, a family-friendly “tour” of the constellations, and the chance to ask astronomy questions, officials said.

Tickets for the events will be available at the door. General admission is $11, or $9 for seniors and children. Tickets for the single Night Sky Show or feature show or telescope-viewing session are $6 -- $5 for seniors and children 12 and younger.

For more information, call 310-434-3005, or visit see www.smc.edu/eventsinfo.