Welcome to the University of Texas Skywatchers Report for Monday April 20th through Sunday April 26th.

The moon is at first quarter on Thursday night, so we’ll have a waxing crescent moon for the first part of the week and a waxing gibbous moon for the weekend.

Venus is in the west at sunset and is setting at 10:05 p.m. at midweek. Uranus is less than a degree from Venus on Thursday night, but you’ll need binoculars or a telescope to see it.

Jupiter is very high in the southwest at sundown and is setting at 1:40 a.m. Look for the moon near Jupiter on Wednesday night.

The morning planets will start the week still very close together and then will move apart as the week progresses. By the end of the week, Saturn is rising at 5:50 a.m., followed by Mars 5 minutes later, and finally Mercury at 6:05 a.m.

The Lyrid meter shower peaks on Wednesday night into Thursday morning, and the moon is fairly favorable for the shower this year, since it will set a little after midnight. The Lyrids get their name because they appear to come from a point in the constellation Lyra, which is fully above the horizon by 11 p.m. This shower is caused by the Earth passing through the debris of Comet Thatcher and usually has about 20 meteors an hour at its peak.

Public viewing at the Physics, Math, and Astronomy building is on Wednesday nights from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. PMA 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. Next week will be the final week of public viewing at PMA for the Spring 2026 semester.

Public viewing at the 9-inch refractor at Painter Hall is on Friday and Saturday nights from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. Painter Hall is located on 24th street about halfway between Speedway and Guadalupe and is northeast of the UT Tower. Take the elevator to the 5th floor then take the stairs up to the 6th floor and follow the signs up to the telescope. This week will be the final week of public viewing at Painter Hall for the Spring 2026 semester.

All events are free and open to all ages, and no reservations are required. Note that viewing times and availability change throughout the year so please check the schedule before planning a visit. Observing events are weather permitting. Please call 512-232-4265 for star party status information, which is updated 30 to 45 minutes before the scheduled viewing start times.

Thank you for calling the University of Texas Skywatchers Report.