Welcome to the University of Texas Skywatchers Report for Monday February 26 through Sunday March 3.
The moon is at third quarter on Sunday morning, so we’ll have a waning gibbous moon all of this week.
Mercury and Saturn are in conjunction with the Sun on Wednesday, with Mercury moving from our morning skies into our evening skies and Saturn doing the opposite. The two planets will be very close to one another that day from the Earth’s point of view, but of course they will be too close to the sun to see.
Jupiter is up in the southwest and is now the sole planet visible to the unaided eye in the evening skies. Jupiter sets at 11:10 p.m. at midweek.
In the morning skies, Mars is rising at 5:40 a.m., about 75 minutes before sunrise, with Venus following about 10-15 minutes later.
In space anniversaries this week, Saturday March 2nd marks 20 years since the launch of the European Space Agency’s Rosetta Spacecraft on its mission to study the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, which it reached 10 years later. The spacecraft also carried Philae, the first probe to land on a comet. Rosetta orbited the comet for over two years before hard landing on it to end its mission in September 2016.
Public viewing at the 16-inch reflector on top of the Physics, Math, and Astronomy building is on Wednesday nights currently from 7 to 9 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.
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. Take the elevator to the 5th floor then take the stairs up to the 6th floor 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.
