IT may take a leap of imagination to envisage James Dean and Natalie Wood snuggling on the back seat of a planetarium in Stockton like they did in the film Rebel Without A Cause.

But that's what planetariums are all about - imagining.

The North-East's newest stargazing facility may not boast a vast auditorium or a cavernous dome, but it recreates splendidly the majesty of the heavens under one roof.

The 15-metre high building at the Castle Eden Walkway Country Park, Thorpe Thewles, near Stockton, is the idea of a group of amateur enthusiasts, led by the Cleveland and Darlington Astronomical Society.

They were determined to give Teessiders somewhere to enjoy the night sky which, in real life, is usually obscured by cloud.

With the help of a grant from the European Regional Development Fund and a free Japanese projector donated by Glasgow University, they raised the remaining £90,000 they needed by themselves.

Now, six months after it officially opened, it is proving quite a draw for children and adults wanting an alternative night out.

John McCue, who enthusiastically runs the show from a little office at the back of the 72-seat auditorium, says the planetarium's appeal is, well, universal.

"When the lights go out, you can hear the kids drawing breath and muttering 'wow'. That's the highlight of my job and what the planetarium is all about.

"People love to have the constellations explained to them and, here, they enjoy looking at the stars in relation to local landmarks.

"There can't be any other planetariums where people can see the Belt of Orion rise through the night sky with the Penshaw Monument as a backdrop."

The terrestrial star of the show is the Japanese contraption which projects pin-pricks which double as stars on to the dome-like canvas above.

With the discovery this week of a new planet, Quaoar, beyond Pluto, John expects the interests in heavenly bodies to increase.

He added: "We now have a tenth planet in our solar system, although it's one which will not make an appearance at the planetarium.

"Unfortunately, it's not just a case of adding a new hole on the projector."

* The planetarium is open to members of the public to view the night sky on Friday evenings. For more details, contact Castle Eden Walkway Country Park on (01740) 630011.