Welcome to the University of Texas Skywatchers Report for Monday February 22nd through Sunday February 28th.
The full moon for the month of February is Monday the 22nd and we'll have a waning gibbous moon for the remainder of the week. This full moon is known as the Snow Moon, the Wolf Moon, and the Hunger Moon.
Jupiter is rising at 7:20 p.m. at midweek and is visible for the remainder of the night. Look for Jupiter to the upper left of the moon on Tuesday night.
Mars is rising at 12:30 a.m. and is followed by Saturn at 2:00 a.m.
Venus and Mercury are still close together in the morning skies with Venus rising at 5:45 a.m. and Mercury up at 6:05 a.m. at midweek, now less than an hour before sunrise. This is probably going to be your last chance to try to see all five of the naked eye planets at one time, although Mercury will be a challenge at this point.
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.
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.
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 weather cancellation information, which is updated 30 to 45 minutes before the scheduled viewing start time.
Thank you for calling the University of Texas Skywatchers Report.
