Welcome to the University of Texas Skywatchers Report for Monday November 20 through Sunday November 26.
The moon is at first quarter on Monday the 20th and the moon will reach full on Monday the 27th, so we’ll have a waxing gibbous moon all of this week.
Mercury is still low in the west after sunset and is setting at 6:35 p.m. at midweek – about an hour after the sun.
Saturn is high in the south during evening twilight and is setting at 12:10 a.m. at midweek. Look for Saturn to the right of the moon on Monday night.
Jupiter is up in the east at sundown and is setting at 5:20 a.m. Look for Jupiter below the moon on Friday night.
In the morning skies, Venus is still very bright in the pre-dawn twilight and is rising at 3:35 a.m.
Mars is just beginning to emerge from conjunction with the sun and is still lost in the sun’s glare.
In space anniversaries this week, Monday November 20th marks 25 years since the launch of Zarya, the first module of the International Space Station. The module provided electricity, propulsion, and storage space during the early stages of the station’s construction, but is now primarily used for storage after other modules were added to the ISS.
There will be no public viewing on UT campus telescope this week due to the Thanksgiving holiday and UT fall break. Next week will be the final week of public viewing at the Painter Hall Telescope for the fall semester. The final night of viewing at the PMA telescope for 2023 will be on December 6.
Thank you for calling the University of Texas Skywatchers Report.
