Welcome to the University of Texas Skywatchers Report for Monday January 5th through Sunday January 11th.

The moon will be at third quarter on Saturday January 10th, so we’ll have a waning gibbous moon for most of the week and then start into a waning crescent moon phase at the end of the weekend.

Venus is in superior conjunction with the sun on Tuesday the 6th and then will slowly emerge into our early evening skies as we progress through the winter.

Mars is in conjunction with the Sun just three days later on the 9th and then will emerge into our predawn skies throughout the first few months of the new year.

Saturn is now high in the southwest as the sky darkens after sunset and is setting at 11 p.m. at midweek.

Jupiter is at opposition on Saturday the 10th so it will rise at sunset and set at sunrise and is therefore visible all night.

Mercury is rising at 7 a.m. at the end of the week, just 30 minutes before sunrise, as it heads towards its next solar conjunction.

Spring semester viewing on UT campus telescope will resume in the second half of January. Please check back for details on starting dates and times.

Thank you for calling the University of Texas Skywatchers Report.