Welcome to the University of Texas Skywatchers' Report for November 22nd through the 28th.
The full moon for the month of November is on Friday the 26th. This full moon is called the Frosty Moon or the Beaver Moon. On the 25th the Moon will be alongside the Pleiades, an open star cluster commonly known as the Seven Sisters.
Saturn is now rising at about 9:15 p.m. this week. Jupiter, Venus and Mars are all still visible in the morning skies in the few hours before dawn. Venus is the brightest of the three, with Jupiter above and slightly to the right of Venus. Mars is much fainter and is visible as an orange dot below Venus. You can still catch Mercury very low in the southwest after sunset this week.
For more skywatching tips for the week, check out stardate.org
There will be no public viewing this week at Robert Lee Moore Hall or Painter Hall due to the Thanksgiving Holiday. Next week will be the final week of public viewing for UT's Fall Semester. Spring semester viewing will resume mid-January.
The telescope at Robert Lee Moore Hall is open to the public on Wednesdays from 7 to 9 p.m. RLM is located on the southeast corner of Dean Keeton and Speedway. Take the elevators to the 17th floor and follow the signs to the telescope.
The Painter Hall telescope is open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays from 7 to 9 p.m. Painter Hall is located on 24th street about halfway between Speedway and Guadalupe.
All events are free and open to all ages and no reservations are required. Note that star party times and availability change throughout the year. Please call this recording before planning a visit to the telescopes. Observing events are weather permitting. Please call 232-4265 for weather cancellation information.
Thank you for calling the University of Texas Skywatchers' Report and have a great Thanksgiving Holiday.
