texas

skywatchers report


Welcome to the University of Texas Skywatchers Report for Monday March 4th through Sunday March 17th.

The moon is at third quarter on Monday March 4th so there will be a waning crescent moon in the morning skies that week. The new moon for the month of March is on Monday March 11th and there will be a waxing crescent in the early evening skies for the remainder of that week.

Mars is low in the west after sunset but is setting only 30 to 40 minutes after the sun so it is lost in the Sun's glare.

Jupiter is still overhead at sundown and is setting at 1 a.m. in the morning of March 5th, at 1:40 a.m. on March 11th after the time change and at 1:20 a.m. on March 17th. Look for the moon next to Jupiter on the night of Sunday the 17th.

Saturn is rising at 10:45 p.m. on March 4th, at 11:10 p.m. on March 11th after the time change and at 10:50 p.m. on March 17th.

Venus is still close to the sun and is mostly lost in the sun's glare as it heads towards conjunction at the end of the month.

Mercury is at inferior conjunction with the sun on Monday March 4th and will move from our evening skies into the morning skies. By the morning of March 11th it will be up about 45 minutes before the sun and by the 17th it will be up about an hour before sunrise.

In the morning hours of Sunday March 10th we leave standard time and move our clocks forward to daylight saving. The hour that is officially skipped is 2 to 3 a.m. local time.

Public viewing at the 16-inch reflector on top of Robert Lee Moore Hall is on Wednesday nights currently from 7 to 9 p.m. RLM is located on the southeast corner of Dean Keeton and Speedway. Take the elevator to the 17th floor and follow the signs to the telescope. Please note that there will be no Wednesday night star party on March 13th due to spring break. After spring break the times will move to 8:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Public viewing at the 9 inch refractor at Painter Hall is on Friday and Saturday nights currently from 7 to 9 p.m. Painter Hall is located on 24th street about halfway between Speedway and Guadalupe and is northeast of the UT Tower. To get to the telescope, take the elevator to the 5th floor and exit to the left. Follow the 5th floor hallway to the end and take the staircase through the double doors on the left. Once you reach the 6th floor, go to your right and follow the signs up to the telescope. Note that there will be no Painter telescope viewing on March 15th and 16th due to spring break. After spring break the times will move to 8:30 to 10:30 p.m.

All events are free and open to all ages and no reservations are required. Note that viewing times and availability change throughout the year. Observing events are weather permitting. Please call 232-4265 for weather cancellation information, which is updated 30 to 60 minutes before the scheduled viewing start time when a viewing is cancelled.

Thank you for calling the University of Texas Skywatchers Report.